The Google Pixel 6a is still a month away from hitting the shelves, but the phone has already been listed on Best Buy, complete with pricing, financing plans, pictures, and shipping date in tow. The listing carries a lot of weight, as it fixes one of Pixel 5a’s biggest mistakes – extremely limited availability worsened by constrained sales channels.
The Pixel 5a, which arrived in August last year, was only sold via the official Google Store. No carrier stores had it, and neither did any third-party retail partners. On top of it, the phone was only available in the U.S. and Japan, skipping markets like India where its predecessor had done quite well.
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It appears that Google wants to rectify those mistakes with the ambitious Pixel 6a. At Best Buy, the Pixel 6a is listed in all three colors – Charcoal, Sage, and Chalk – all of which are priced at $449 for the unlocked version with 128GB of onboard storage. Carrier-locked versions for T-Mobile and Verizon are also on offer, but the latter comes at a $50 premium.
Best Buy’s 12-month installment plan is priced at $37.42 per month. The release date is listed as July 28, which matches what Google had originally announced at its I/O 2022 event a few weeks ago. Pre-orders for the Pixel 6a will open a week earlier on July 21 via the official Google Store. However, it is unclear if other outlets like Amazon and B&H will also carry the phone in the coming months.
Wide reach & big ambitions
Coming to the regional availability part, aside from the U.S., Google previously confirmed that the Pixel 6a will be up for grabs in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, and the U.K. It appears that Google is bullish about the Pixel 6a’s market uptake prospects, and it actually makes sense.
For that asking price, the Pixel 6a offers a standout design with a flagship-tier Tensor chip inside. The phone will get at least three Android OS upgrades, with timely software updates on a monthly basis and a healthy number of exclusive features. The dual-camera setup with the famed Pixel formula is another draw for potential buyers, as is the relatively compact build compared to the Pixel 6 series flagships.
As far as OnePlus goes, there is no phone in its portfolio to challenge the Pixel 6a head-on. There was some hope that the Nothing Phone 1 would shake things up a little bit, but the Carl Pei-led upstart has decided to skip a U.S. launch for its first phone. In a nutshell, Google has a very realistic chance of making a solid dent in the market with the Pixel 6a, and less frustrating retail availability is definitely going to help achieve that goal.
The Google Pixel 8a’s 6 biggest upgrades over the Pixel 7a
The Google Pixel 8a has just launched, and it comes with many upgrades that Pixel fans have been hoping for. These include some attractive new design flourishes, beefed-up hardware, a longer-lasting battery, and a higher-end display. You also get all the software features that make the Pixel series so appealing, including seven years of OS and security updates and Gemini Nano for more AI features.
But how does all of this compare to the already great Pixel 7a? Here’s a breakdown of the Google Pixel 8a’s six biggest upgrades over the Pixel 7a. For a closer look at all of the differences between the two phones, see our Pixel 8a vs. Pixel 7a comparison.
The Tensor G3 chip
Motorola just launched a new Android phone to take on the Google Pixel 8a
If you have your heart set on a phone with a stylus, you’re probably familiar with Samsung devices like the Galaxy S24 Ultra and the previous Galaxy S23 Ultra. But there is another company out there that ships phones with a stylus — Motorola. Unlike Samsung’s flagship, the new Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) won’t break the bank thanks to its $400 starting price in the U.S.
The Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) is the latest in a series of midrange stylus-equipped phones that Motorola started releasing in 2020. The latest model keeps up with its predecessors with solid midrange capabilities and, as the name indicates, support for 5G.
5 phones you should buy instead of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus
Looking to upgrade your phone this year? You may be considering Samsung’s new Galaxy S24 Plus, which is the middle child of the S24 lineup. Given how solid the S24 Plus is, that's not a bad idea at all.
But is the Galaxy S24 Plus the best phone you can get? Maybe not, as there are plenty of other great choices that you can choose from as well. Here are some of the best alternatives to the Galaxy S24 Plus that you should take a look at before spending your hard-earned dollars.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
