Google CEO hints to Pixel 6a unveiling at Google IO

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There’s no guarantee that the Google Pixel 6a will be a hit. There haven’t been any A-series phones released by Google since 2019, but only a small number of Pixel 5as have been sold. This suggests that Google wasn’t confident in its low-cost spinoff phones when it released them.

(Image credit: Future)

Google’s Pixel 6 series has sold quite well, and the 6a might be on its way soon, so those who were expecting for the new smartphone woke up this morning to good news.

Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Alphabet, verified this on a conference call with investors (transcript available at Motley Fool) “This is the fastest-selling Pixel to date, according to Google’s own data. At Google I/O, I want to share more about the things we have in the works “As a matter of fact,.

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There are two important things to parse here: first, although Pichai does not name-drop the Pixel 6a at all, it appears probable one is coming. If the Pixel 6 is a success, an entry-level model is almost certainly on the way.

At Google IO in mid-May, it seems that the company has some new gear to show off. The event is normally about software, although we’ve seen the likes of the Pixel 3a and Pixel Buds A-Series make their debuts during the event in the past, as well.

Pichai’s use of the term “items” suggests that he is teasing the upcoming Pixel 6a, since Android updates aren’t purchased.

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Analysis: starting early is advantageous.

If you want to see how unreliable Google has been when it comes to launching smartphones, simply look at this calendar:

Even though there are some commonalities between each series, the time between the main-series phone and its A counterpart has never been consistent.

Series Main series announcement A-series announcement
Pixel 3 Oct 2018 May 2019
Pixel 4 Oct 2019 Aug 2020 (Sep 2020 for 5G)
Pixel 5 Sep 2020 Aug 2021
Pixel 6 Oct 2021 [May 2022?]

That may not change with the Google Pixel 6a, but it’s possible that this is a good thing. While the Pixel 6 series is popular, the most affordable model is still rather expensive, so it’s possible that a more affordable model would be well received.

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There is a good chance that Google will tease the 6a at Google IO, but the company may instead save the event for headphones or the rumoured Pixel Watch. However, May would be the ideal moment to give the 6a a break until the Pixel 7 appears later this year…

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