There is a little bit of smarter in the new Pixel 8
The fate of the Pixel in the next few years: Where is Google interested in launching the next generation of photo-editing services? An analysis of fairphone’s security pledge
Photo editing features aside, it all feels like a hint of where Google wants to take the Pixel in the next few years as its generative AI technology matures — close, but not there yet. Even some of the more robust AI photo editing features won’t be available at the Pixel 8 Pro’s launch, so we’ll have to keep waiting to get the full story. The pre-order price for the Pixel 8 Pro is $999, with 128 grams of storage, and it will be available today.
Fairphone 5 has promised eight years of security updates, making it the most secure phone in the world, but it still isn’t superior to Google, which has seven years of security support. However, Fairphone has no plans to sell its fifth-generation device in the US and is also only committed to releasing five major Android OS updates.
In theory, Google’s pledge should mean the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro get updated to at least 2029’s Android 20 and maybe even 2030’s Android 21, depending on when in the year the update gets released. But that assumes Google is still using the same annual release cadence for Android seven years from now, even before we get into its somewhat flaky history of ongoing support for other services and initiatives.
Google has the freedom to offer this longer support period thanks to using its own Tensor processor in the Pixel 8 series, which gives it more control over the hardware that’s gone into the phone compared to most of its Android competitors. Fairphone, a competing Android manufacturer that prioritizes lengthy support periods for its devices, has publicly spoken about how difficult it is to continue to support a phone after a chipset manufacturer like Qualcomm ends support for the processor used. The power of the machine is in its own hands.
Apple, which also produces its own processor for its phones, offers lengthy support periods. Although the company doesn’t promote explicit promises about the number of years it supports its devices for, it released five major iOS version updates for the 2017 iPhone X before ending support with iOS 17 this year. Apple will often release security patches for older devices.
The smaller 5.7-inch screen version of the Pixel 8 is more similar to the 6.4-inch screen version of last year’s Pixel 7. Both phones have more-rounded edges than before—they mold to my hands quite nicely!—and the Pixel 8 has a matte camera bar with a glossy glass back, whereas the Pro model has a soft-touch matte back glass with a glossy camera bar. Both of the new models have frames crafted out of 100 percent recycled aluminum.
All of the phones also sport OLED displays, but they differ in terms of refresh rates. The Pro models are best for a lot of mobile gaming. The phones have 12 gigabytes of ram and a max 120Hz screen, so it should be much easier to scroll and switch between apps. The Pixel 8 only offers 8GB of RAM with a refresh rate that can vary between 60 and 120Hz, while the Pixel 8 Pro’s can go from 1 to 120Hz. In contrast, the standard Pixel 7 and Pixel 7A offer a lower 90hz refresh rate.
Some of the most significant new camera features aren’t related to the hardware at all but are seen in the Google Photos app. The Magic Eraser feature that was announced back at Google I/O will be available after launch for the Pixel 8 and lets you completely change an image by moving subjects around and changing backgrounds. There’s also a new Best Take feature that will combine images taken from a series to make sure that everyone is looking at the camera and smiling at the same time.
There’s a 50-megapixel main camera sensor with a slightly brighter f/1.7 lens attached. The ultra wide camera of the Pro is capable of focusing as close as 2 cm in macro mode, and there is an upgrade to the telephoto module. The front-facing camera is getting an upgrade too. And the Pro phone gets some pro camera controls: you’ll be able to control focus, shutter speed, which lens is being used, and access 50-megapixel JPEG or RAW shooting right from the native camera app.
The Google Photos Pixel 8 Pro Lineup: Optical, Camera, Face Recognition, Audio Magic Erasers, and Face Unlocking
Naturally, there are lots of new software features — all housed in Google Photos. If you take a series of photographs of a group of people, you have the chance to choose the best face for your subjects and then save it all in one final frame. There’s also Audio Magic Eraser, which aims to isolate distracting sounds in videos so you can minimize or remove them.
You can control settings like focus, select a lens, and shoot at a high rate with the new pro controls on the Pixel 8 Pro.
Google’s Assistant gets some AI updates, too, though it’s far from going full-on Bard. When it comes to speech, the company claims it will be able to understand it better and recognize it more effectively. It will also be able to translate web pages to read them aloud. Even the keyboard has a one-touch option to clean up errors.
Both Pixel 8 phones also offer 10.5-megapixel front-facing cameras and feature autofocus. That is lower than the 13MP camera on the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, and also lower than that on thePixel 7A. The other phones in the lineups have 50-megapixel main cameras, except for the Pixel 7A, which only has a 64-mil main camera.
That new display can only be used between 60 and 120 Hz for battery life savings but it is not LTPO and can only refresh at 120Hz. You’ll have to pony up for the Pixel 8 Pro if you want a screen that can go all the way from 1Hz to 120Hz. Notably, the iPhone 15, which has the same price as the Pixel 8, comes with a 60Hz screen.
It will be possible to see the screen brightness of 2000 nits when you are outdoors. The Pixel 8’s battery is 4,485mAh, up about 5 percent over the Pixel 7. The battery is not big but also small, and I don’t think the claims of “beyond 24 hour battery life” are true. Google’s 30W wired charger (not included) will bring the Pixel 8 up to 50 percent in 30 minutes, or you can use wireless charging for a slower but more convenient top-up.
Under the screen is the same style of fingerprint sensor Google’s used in past models, but now the Pixel 8’s front camera supports face unlocking with the same amount of security as fingerprint unlocking — yes, you can use it to unlock bank and payment apps now. The there isn’t any special hardware for Face ID-like 3D mapping of your face, so it’s unclear how exactly Google was able to make it more secure.
There are shooting and video modes in the phone’s camera app. Unfortunately for the Pixel 8, the new app doesn’t have the extended manual controls found on the Pixel 8 Pro.
Last year’s Pixel 7 phones were an iterative spec bump and nice refinement in the design department (as polarizing as their looks remained), but part of what made those phones special was how much they offered for fairly competitive prices.
One thing about iPhones that allows people to use them for years on end without too many issues is the massive headroom their speedy A-series processors allow. So, how do the new phones from Google stack up against each other? If these phones are to last users seven years, what kind of specs are they packing to get the job done and not feel like someone ends up in the penalty box of sluggish performance after a new Android OS version drops years down the line?
No matter what the series you own, the new features of thePixel 7 and thePixel 8 can be used. However, you can only create AI-generated wallpapers by describing them on the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro at launch. Other features that are available in other devices, like the ability to sign in to third-party apps with your fingerprints and use your phone as aWebcam, are included on the Pixel 7 phones.
The 7A and the Pixel 7 offered a bit less all day battery life, as we found in our testing. The phones should last for at least 24 hours if the battery saver mode is on and 72 hours if not. We have not tested the new phones, so it is not known how long they will last in reality.
What distinguishes a phone from a generic one? A comprehensive treatment of the device and its specs (with an emphasis on three-lensing)
That is only an overview of what distinguishes each phone. If you want to dig in even further, we’ve gathered all the specs you need to know in the table below.
