In preparation for the upcoming release of Google’s budget Pixel 6a phone, which was proudly unveiled during its I/O conference back in May, 9to5Google spotted that the device is already listed at one of the largest consumer technology retailers in the US — Best Buy. Though pre-orders won’t open until July 21st, the phone’s presence on the retailer’s website this early signals that Google is not taking any chances when it comes to making sure that anyone that wants a Pixel can get one.
The most notable aspect of the phone appearing at Best Buy a full month before its release date is that it will be sold in all the same colors you will find at the Google Store once that listing goes live. However, getting it through Best Buy has the added choice of purchasing it with a tie-in to one of the big three US phone carriers and possibly scoring some hefty discounts in the process. The phone is currently listed as “Coming Soon” in Charcoal, Sage, and Chalk colors at $449 for the unlocked, T-Mobile, and Sprint versions and $499 for the MM wave compatible Verizon version.
The Pixel 6a will sport a 6.1″ 20:9 60Hz screen, with 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and of course, powered by Google’s custom in-house Tensor SoC. Considering that the Pixel 5a was not sold through Best Buy and was only available via the Google Store in selected markets, we should see this as a sign that Google has come to play and will not pull any punches this time around. This is also especially reassuring for the Pixel 7/7 Pro and Pixel Watch releases slated for this Fall. If Google is putting this much effort into its budget phone, I believe we can expect them to truly wow us on their flagship phone and first-ever branded smartwatch — that’s our hope, at least.
