Google is gearing up to launch its Pixel 8 phone lineup, just a month after the debut of Apple’s iPhone 15 series. The company’s Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro will be revealed in New York on Oct. 4, as part of an event that will also highlight the Pixel Watch 2.
“Big fall launches are stressful, but Pixel helps these Best Phones Forever stay cool as cucumbers. The w8 is almost over.” Google posted on Threads. “Rest up for Made By Google on October 4th.”
Google hasn’t been coy about the upcoming devices. In a series of videos, Google provided a “sneak peek” at the Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro and the Pixel Watch 2. Google has released a next-gen Pixel phone every fall since 2016. Last year’s Pixel 7 series was well received, with the Pixel 7 Pro and more affordable Pixel 7A earning spots on CNET’s best phones list for 2023.
A leaked promotional video showed off Magic Editor’s capabilities. In this video, this photo was edited to show all four family members smiling and looking straight at the camera, which wasn’t the case in the original photo.
Pixel 8 camera software: AI-powered upgrades
A recent promotional video showcasing the phone’s AI capabilities was recently leaked by Wojciechowska, courtesy of 91Mobiles. This leak appears to offer a window into how Google plans to incorporate more AI into its flagship smartphones. Earlier this year, the company announced that Magic Editor would be available on “select” Pixel phones.
This feature is a more advanced version of Magic Eraser, allowing you to edit any picture you take to your liking. A demonstration of this feature shows a person taking three pictures of a family on a carousel and combining them into one shot where everyone is smiling and looking at the camera simultaneously. The video also highlighted other camera features including the much-anticipated Night Sight for low-light videos, and Video Boost.
Pixel 8 Pro: Thermometer feature
One of the notable changes that could make its way to the Pixel 8 Pro is a new thermometer feature according to a video leak from 91Mobiles, working again with Wojciechowski. (The video has since been taken offline, but you can find copies on the internet.) The feature is tipped to be a contactless thermometer that monitors your skin’s temperature to help you determine if you might be running a fever.
If the leak is accurate, it won’t be the first time smartphones have offered such a health feature. We saw it on the Honor 4 Play Pro, which has an IR sensor, as well as in paid apps on the Samsung Galaxy S4 and Note 3. This would, however, be the first time we’ve seen one on the Pixel lineup.
Pixel 8 design: Display, camera bar tweaks expected
After Google overhauled the design of its Pixel lineup in 2021, the changes to the Pixel 8 series design are expected to be more subtle.
According to renders posted on Twitter by prominent leaker OnLeaks, the Pixel 8 will lose its curved display in favor of a flat one.
Remember the horizontal camera bar? That’s expected to remain, but this year all cameras on the Pro model could be encased in a single glass pill, unlike the pill-and-circle design of the Pixel 7 Pro. There also appears to be an extra sensor, which might be that thermometer feature discussed earlier.
Another potential design change, at least according to display analyst Ross Young, is a smaller display on the standard Pixel 8. He expects we’ll see a 6.16-inch display on the Pixel 8, down from the 6.32-inch display on the Pixel 7, while the Pixel 8 Pro will remain the same size as its predecessor.
Article source: https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/pixel-8-series-the-biggest-rumors-on-google-next-flagship-phones/#ftag=CADe34d7bf