What you need to know
- The Google Pixel 6a has been removed from the US Google Store sale.
- Shoppers are being redirected to the Pixel 7a listing instead.
- The Pixel 8a is expected imminently, with rumors suggesting Google’s I/O event in May as a likely launch date.
The release of the Google Pixel 6a marked Google’s first foray into the more affordable sector of the phone market with its refreshed Pixel range. At the time, the handset was very well-received, offering many of the features of its more expensive siblings at a much more affordable price. Having subsequently been replaced by the Pixel 7a, it appears that the time is drawing near for us to bid the Pixel 6a a fond farewell.
As spotted by Droid Life (via Android Authority), the Pixel 6a has been removed from sale on the official US Google Store at some point in the last few days. The phone is no longer available on the site, and if you attempt to access it via an old URL, you’ll find yourself on the page for the newer Pixel 7a instead.
While the Pixel 6a is unlikely to be a big seller at this stage of its life cycle, the fact it has quietly disappeared indicates that Google is ready to send it to a farm upstate in preparation for a newer device. This is, in all likelihood, the Pixel 8a, which is hotly anticipated to be unveiled shortly.
A recent report confirmed that a new Google handset – almost certainly the Pixel 8a – has been spotted in FCC databases, lending further weight to its imminent release. The working assumption is that the 8a will be revealed at Google’s I/O event in early May 2024. Other rumors suggest it will be a significant upgrade over the Pixel 7a, which could make it almost as good as the Pixel 8.
In the meantime, anyone who wants to get their hands on a Pixel 6a can still do so from some other retailers, just not directly from Google. The alternative is to consider getting the Pixel 7a, now the only budget handset available on the Google Store. But, given how soon the Pixel 8a is expected to come out, it may be worth hanging on for a few more weeks to see what that handset offers.