A case for the yet unreleased Google Pixel 6a is an important piece of evidence revealing what the upcoming budget Google phone will look like. And lo and behold, it shows a phone that will feature the signature camera bar design, much like the flagship Pixel 6 series.
Case maker Poetic sent the case to Adam Doud from Digital Trends, and surprised to receive a case for a yet unreleased phone, Doud took the opportunity to measure the case against the already released flagship Pixel 6 model. Trying to fit in the Pixel 6 in the Pixel 6a case didn't work, but it didn't fit by a tiny margin, within a few millimeters. This lead to the realization that the Pixel 6a has got to be just a tiny bit smaller.
Pixel 6a case on the left, Pixel 6 on the right. The Pixel 6 is just a bit too large to fit in the case. Image courtesy of Adam Doud and Digital Trends.
And since the Pixel 6 has a 6.4-inch screen, this suggests that the Pixel 6a is likely to have maybe a 6.2" or 6.3" screen, judging by the tiny difference in size.
Another thing that the case reveals is that the Pixel 6a will have the same button placement as other Google phones, with the power button placed above the volume keys (which some people may find a bit odd).
Pixel 6a will have the same button placement, with a power button above the volume keys. Image courtesy of Adam Doud and Digital Trends.
And judging by the writing on the screen protector that came with the case, the Pixel 6a will also have an in-screen fingerprint scanner. Fingers crossed that it works better than the sluggish one on the Pixel 6 duo, where you need to apply extra pressure for your fingerprint to register.
Also interesting is that the camera bar on the back seems to be narrower than on the flagship Pixel 6 series by about one third. This is probably because of the smaller camera sensors used in the budget model. An approximate measurement by the journalist shows that while the Pixel 6 has a 21mm tall camera bump, the Pixel 6a appears to only have a 14mm tall camera bar.
If you remove the frame that comes with the case, the Pixel 6 fits in, suggesting only a tiny difference in size. Image courtesy of Adam Doud and Digital Trends.
What does this leaked case tell us?
So what can we take from all of this? First, it confirms earlier leaks that Google will adopt the fancy new "Robocop" design with the camera bar for its budget model, but also having cases circulating around also suggests that a Pixel 6a launch might be just around the corner.
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Google I/O, the company's developers conference, kicks off next Wednesday, May 11th, and it now looks very likely that the Pixel 6a will debut right there and then. Of course, don't forget that case makers often make cases way earlier and based on preliminary information, so we can take this case as giving us clues rather than facts. Still, judging on previous leaks, this one seems to be consistent with the way the Pixel 6a shapes up to be, so we don't really have any big reasons to doubt it.
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Victor, a seasoned mobile technology expert, has spent over a decade at PhoneArena, exploring the depths of mobile photography and reviewing hundreds of smartphones across Android and iOS ecosystems. His passion for technology, coupled with his extensive knowledge of smartphone cameras and battery life, has positioned him as a leading voice in the mobile tech industry.
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