After almost three months of teasing, the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are now available. The pair are the latest flagship phones from Google, with the search giant well and truly returning to the premium space. Here's everything you need to know about the Pixel 6, including plans and pricing.
In this guide:
- Pixel 6 Price
- Pixel 6 Design
- Pixel 6 Camera
- Pixel 6 Colours
- Pixel 6 Battery Life
- Pixel 6 5G
- Pixel 6 Processor
Pixel 6 Price
Surprisingly enough, the Pixel 6 starts at the same price as last year's Pixel 5: $999. Opting for more storage or the Pro will cost extra, however. Here's outright pricing for the full family:
- Pixel 6 (128GB): $999
- Pixel 6 (256GB): $1,129
- Pixel 6 Pro (128GB): $1,299
- Pixel 6 Pro (256GB): $1,449
- Pixel 6 Pro (512GB): $1,599
Pixel 6 Design
After capping out at semi-premium last year with the Pixel 5, the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are more traditional high-end phones. While the Pixel 5 had a glass screen and aluminium back, Google is using the time-tested glass-and-metal sandwich design for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. Both use aluminium for the frame, but it has a matte finish on the standard Pixel 6, and a polished finish on the Pixel 6 Pro.
The pair's camera bump is easily their most unique element; rather than using a square or rectangle that sits in a corner, the Pixel 6 cameras are housed in a bar that goes right across the phone. It's very Men In Black.
The regular Pixel 6 has a 6.4-inch flat 1080p+ display with a 90Hz refresh rate. The Pixel 6 Pro has a 6.7-inch curved Quad HD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Both have a hole-punch selfie camera and an in-screen fingerprint reader.
Pixel 6 Camera
Both the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro share a 50MP primary lens and a 12MP ultra-wide lens. The Pixel 6 Pro adds to this with a 48MP 4x telephoto lens.
In addition to upgraded hardware, the Pixel 6 cameras are full of new software tricks. There's a "Magic Eraser" that can get rid of unwanted people in the background of your photos, and a "Motion Mode" that creates realistic blur around moving subjects or can be used for long exposure effects (like silky waterfalls).
Pixel 6 Camera Gallery
Check out these camera samples taken on the Pixel 6. Click or tap on any photo to see a larger version.
Pixel 6 Colours
The Pixel 6 is available in a choice of Sorta Seafoam, Kinda Coral, and Storm Black. The Pixel 6 Pro comes in Sorta Sunny, Cloudy White, and Storm Black.
Pixel 6 Battery Life
Google has said it's targetting an "all day" battery life for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. The pair feature a 4,614mAh and 5,000mAh cell, respectively.
Pixel 6 5G
Both the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are 5G phones, but the Pixel 6 Pro stands out as the first handset with mmWave connectivity in Australia. mmWave is a faster form of 5G that operates on higher frequencies. This allows for faster download speeds - over 3Gbps - but at the cost of range. At present, there is very little mmWave connectivity in Australia, so it isn't really a reason to consider the Pixel 6 Pro over any other smartphone.
Pixel 6 Processor
The biggest change to the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro is the processor. Instead of using a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip like past Pixels and the vast majority of Android smartphones, the pair of Pixels are powered by a custom-made chip designed by Google.
Dubbed Tensor, Google says the processor is 80% faster than the chipset found in the Pixel 5. But rather than focusing on performance, Google says Tensor is more about on-device artificial intelligence, and helps enable better voice-to-text, faster translation, and better photography, all while saving power.
Pixel 6 Review
How does the Pixel 6 stack up against other models? Check out our review.
Pixel 6 Specifications
| Pixel 6 | Pixel 6 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.4-inch flat | 6.7-inch curved |
| Resolution | 1080p+ with 90Hz | Quad HD+ with 120Hz |
| Rear Cameras | 50MP + 12 MP | 50MP + 12MP + 48MP |
| Front Camera | 8MP | 11MP |
| Processor | Tensor | Tensor |
| Storage | 128GB - 256GB | 128GB - 512GB |
| Water-Resistance | IP68 | IP68 |
| 5G | Sub 6 | Sub 6 + mmWave |
| Price | From $999 | From $1,299 |
Choosing a Pixel 6 Plan
With the WhistleOut search tool, you can compare Pixel 6 plan pricing and inclusions across every provider. But there's a lot more to phone plans than just cost and data. Here's a breakdown of the major benefits you can expect each provider to offer.
Telstra phone plans are often the priciest on the Australian market, but they do come with a few perks. These include:
- Access to Telstra's super-fast 4GX network
- Data-free access to Apple Music
- Access to the Telstra Plus perks and rewards program
While Telstra phone plans aren't cheap, they're all rather flexible. They're no-contract on the basis that you can leave at any time, you'll just need to pay out the remaining value of your phone. You also have the option to step up or down in plan inclusions up to one time per month, which is great if you have variable usage.
Telstra also offers the option to pay off your device over 12, 24, or 36 months. And all plans come with zero excess data charges. If you go over your cap, your data will simply be slowed to speeds of 1.5Mbps, which is still fast enough to stream video in SD. But speeds may be slower during peak times.
Compare Telstra phone plans
Optus phone plans come with big data inclusions and entertainment extras. Optus plans come with:
- Free access to Optus Sport
- Discounted movie tickets for Hoyts cinemas through the Optus Perks program
All Optus plans are contract-free, devices can be paid off across 12, 24, or 36 months, and you can customise inclusions like roaming and international calls on a month-to-month basis. In addition, all Optus postpaid plans are now free from excess data charges. If you go over your allowance, you'll be slowed to 1.5Mbps rather than being billed $10 per gigabyte.
Compare Optus phone plans
Vodafone phone plans may not come with the kinds of freebies and perks you can get from Optus or Telstra, but they do offer a lot of flexibility. Like Telstra and Optus plans, Vodafone plans are contract-free on the basis that you can leave at any time without penalty. You'll just need to pay out the remaining value of your handset.
You can also step up or down in plan inclusions up to once per month, and ease the burden of a top-tier price tag with the option to pay it off over 12, 24 or 36 months. You'll pay the same overall for your device no matter which option you pick.
Vodafone postpaid plans are all free from excess data charges. When you go over your plan allowance, you'll be capped to 2Mbps and 10Mbps, depending on how much you're spending per month. The higher your bill, the higher your capped data speeds. Vodafone also has a truly unlimited plan, with one slight catch - you'll only get 30GB of data for hotspotting each month.
You'll also get access to Vodafone's famous $5 roaming, which is still easily the best way to travel with your Australian phone number.
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