It’s not uncommon for tech manufacturers to accidentally reveal products that don’t yet exist. Samsung couldn’t stop doing it with the Galaxy S21 FE before it finally appeared earlier this month.
But in what absolutely has to be a first, Google has revealed the existence of the Pixel 6a in a colouring book. And while it may seem that that’s the world’s most confusing typo, it’s genuinely what has happened.
So let’s back up a little bit. Shortly before the release of the Pixel 6, Google opened up a members club in the US called “Pixel Superfans,” offering those admitted access to private Q&As, the opportunity to share ideas with Google and, uh, socks.
Now the company has sent select Superfans a Nest Audio and, somewhat less excitingly, a colouring book filled with Google products to colour in.
But in the contents listing at the front of the book, there’s something intriguing: the Pixel 6a is promised on pages 6 and 7!
…only when you go to said pages, this is what you see:
Not a Pixel in sight. Unless Google is going with a strange new form factor. The vase shape would be a nice new look, if somewhat impractical.
Of course, what we’re actually expecting the Pixel 6a to look like is the main Pixel 6… just with slightly reduced internals. While it seems likely that the company’s own Tensor chip will persist from the flagship phones (albeit maybe a lower spec one), we’ve heard talk of the cameras getting downgraded to the standard of previous Pixels: a 12.2MP sensor, rather than the 50MP one used in the 6 and 6 Pro.
Now that we know that the words “Pixel 6a” have been uttered somewhere in Google, we can pretty safely say for sure that something’s coming. And the smart money would be around May, when Google I/O is expected to return. We might also see a Pixel Watch then, too.
In the meantime, if you want to subdue your jealousy of the Pixel Superfans and their colouring book, it looks like Google has put a digital version online where you can scribble to your heart’s content. Enjoy!
