They shipped with Android 12, with Google announcing numerous artificial intelligence and ambient computing features during the phones' launch event.

The phones became Google's fastest-selling Pixel devices, allowing the company to become the fifth-largest smartphone manufacturer in North America and the United Kingdom during the first quarter of 2022.

[15][16] The phones were manufactured by Foxconn,[17] and were originally intended to be produced in Vietnam before shifting back to China due to the Chinese government's stringent border controls imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

[18] Google doubled the production of its phones compared to last year in attempt to boost its market share, manufacturing approximately seven million devices.

In addition to the Tensor chip, both phones are also equipped with the Titan M2 security module, which is based on the RISC-V open standard, along with an under-display optical fingerprint scanner, stereo speakers, and Gorilla Glass Victus.

[55] Google kickstarted the phones' marketing campaign early, beginning with online commercials,[56] billboards in major cities,[57][58] and magazine advertisements in September 2021.

[64] Google CFO Ruth Porat had previously revealed during parent company Alphabet's quarterly earnings investor call in August that the company was planning to substantially increase its marketing and sales expenses in anticipation for the phones' launch, while Google hardware chief Rick Osterloh declared their intention to "invest in marketing".

[66] NBA athletes Giannis Antetokounmpo and Magic Johnson also serve as brand ambassadors for the phones in the U.S.,[67][68] with tennis player Leylah Fernandez doing the same in Canada.

Ben Schoon of 9to5Google highlighted the potential of the new Tensor chip, finding Google's premature reveal of the devices to be a "show of confidence" in the Pixel 6 series.

Julian Chokkattu of Wired and Dan Seifert of The Verge praised their performance, cameras, and battery life, but criticized the speed of the fingerprint scanner and the large sizes of both models.

[84][85] Lanxon also highlighted the premium specifications of the Pixel 6 Pro, including the triple-camera setup, and believed it to be on par with the iPhone 13 and Samsung's Galaxy S21.

[87][88] Philip Michaels and Jordan Palmer of Tom's Guide praised the phones' affordable pricing, the Tensor chip, and the debut of Android 12, but criticized the fingerprint scanner and battery life.

[89][90] Writing for TechRadar, David Lumb and James Peckham commended the phones' design, build, and cameras but found the battery life and storage subpar.

[91][92] Marques Brownlee praised the phones' competitive pricing, selfie cameras, and software features, but also noted the slow fingerprint sensor and poor battery life.

[103] Another report published by Counterpoint Research the same month revealed that Tensor made up approximately one to two percent of the high-end system-on-chip market.