And the two phones share an advantage that’s pretty rare in the sub-$1000 space; the promise of ongoing support. Both run the latest software, meaning the Pixel has access to Google’s “Material You” design language that seamlessly sizes and scales widgets while keeping everything colour matched system-wide, which for my money is the most appealing take on Android to date.

And both phones will get new software drops and updates as soon as possible for at least the next three years.

With up-to-date processors, both phones also ensure compatibility with the latest apps and I had no problems running all kinds of games and heavy tasks on the Pixel 6a. Surprisingly, it also seems to outshine the more expensive Pixel 6 for battery life too; I’m consistently putting it to bed with at least 30 per cent remaining.

One area where the Pixel roundly defeats the small iPhone, but doesn’t live up to the premium phones from Google or Apple, is in the camera. The Pixel 3a used the exact same camera hardware as the Pixel 3, and was therefore an industry-leading photography experience for almost half the price.

Three years later, the 6a is still using the hardware from the Pixel 3, while the Pixel 6 has all new gear.

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That’s not to say photos from the 6a are bad. In fact, they’re excellent; every shot is more naturally coloured, exposing better contrast and coming in sharper than every other phone I’ve used at this price. But a lot of that is due to Google’s software and AI processing, meaning tricky conditions like gloomy indoor lighting can return results that look good at a glance, but won’t necessarily hold up to scrutiny on a larger screen.

Overall the Pixel 6a is a fine phone for the money, and Google’s move to push its A-series slightly higher up the mid-range seems to be a savvy one. The lower end was wide open in the time of the Pixel 3a, but these days Samsung and a host of Chinese brands dominate the space, and Google’s no longer king of smartphone photography since Apple and Samsung have caught up.

By keeping the 6a as close as possible to the 6 — and not compromising at all on the processor — Google is admitting that AI capabilities and a peerlessly smooth Android experience are now the most important markers of the Pixel brand, rather than competition-beating photography.

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