The Pixel 6a was finally announced during Google I/O 2022, and while that phone hasn’t shipped yet, in classic Google fashion, there are a lot of units in the wild. As a result, we’re already pretty familiar with how it’ll work once it starts shipping to users. Some units made their way to Malaysia, where they’ve been put up for sale, and we’ve even got an unboxing and hands-on video of the phone. It reveals a pleasant fingerprint unlocking experience, which seems to be more reliable and faster than what Google previously offered.
Malaysian YouTuber Fazli Halim (via 9to5Google) has already posted a full video review of the phone, sharing his thoughts about it and comparing it with other members of the Pixel 6 lineup. In it, he shows off that the fingerprint sensor seems to be faster and more reliable than the one in the “flagship” models (at about the 4:55 minute mark). If you’re not familiar, or you don’t remember, the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro’s fingerprint sensors have been plagued with issues since their release. Google has pushed firmware updates in an attempt to remedy the problems, but for most people, the scanners remain unsatisfactory.
With the Pixel 6a’s fingerprint sensor, you shouldn’t have that problem — in the video, the phone is shown alongside a Pixel 6 Pro, and the 6a can be unlocked more easily and reliably, while the Pixel 6 Pro needs you to hold down your finger a bit longer. Both devices come with in-screen fingerprint sensors, so it could be that Google figured out a firmware fix (which would make a fix possible on the flagship models), or Google simply learned its lesson and used another, more reliable sensor, which is the most likely scenario.
If you wanted to grab yourself a Pixel 6, but you’ve been holding off because of all those fingerprint scanner issues, the Pixel 6a might be the phone to get after all, even if it comes with the classic midrange tradeoffs like no wireless charging and weaker camera hardware.