Google’s Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro Officially Revealed:
Google has officially revealed their Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro Android phones at the recent “Made by Google 2023” event at New York City. And while plenty of details regarding these phones have been leaked ahead of the launch, the company was still able to throw in a few surprises for those who tuned in last evening.
Curves all around
Both phones have received slight redesigns from last year’s Pixel 7s. While the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro retains the same iconic camera bar, the whole body has been rounded out, especially around the corners. However, it does use flat screens for those who don’t like dealing with a curved display.
As for the camera bar, the metallic color is retained, giving the phone some contrast when viewed from the back. You’ll also notice a new cutout on the Pixel 8 Pro, which now houses a thermometer. No FDA approval to use for humans yet though; Google is still in talks with the relevant authorities for that.
Google has equipped the phones with their “Actua” OLED displays (Super Actua LTPO for the 8 Pro), promising improved brightness of up to 2,400 nits outdoors for the Pixel 8 Pro. Both phones now get 120Hz, giving some hope for an improved display on a Pixel 8A later down the line.
AI in your hands with Tensor G3
Both phones are coming with the Tensor G3 chipset, promising to bring in big improvements to both power and efficiency. As for the GPU, the Tensor G3 is coming with ARM’s 10-core GPU for up to 15% faster graphics computation.
And while Google did promise that these should bring performance and battery life improvements when it comes to gaming, it's in AI functions where Pixel phones really take the cake.
Look no further than its improved software features when it comes to the phone’s cameras. Magic Editor’s finally coming along, bringing in features like Best Take and Video Boost. Best Take for one, can be quite useful for taking group shots, ensuring everyone has the best expression based on all of your photos.
Magic Eraser works for audio as well, allowing you to remove background noise in videos. When applied to your photos, you can now move photos around and its generative AI should fill in the blanks your crop or edit left behind.
And this is just with the camera-related functions. The Pixel 8’s AI features can even summarize full web pages into three or four key points, screen calls and block out spam calls and even Bard integration with Google Assistant, making it even more convenient to come up with shopping lists, documents, and other functions.
Android 14 and 7 years of updates!
The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro will be shipping out with Android 14 right out of the box, with the update shipping out shortly after to previous gen Pixel owners. Android 14 overall, is a much smaller update but still brings in tons of little features and bug fixes over last year’s Android 13.
On the accessibility side, the latest Android OS can now let users pinch and zoom into anything on your screen, while the font scaling ensures larger font sizes don’t completely break your apps. It’s even bringing in hearing aid connectivity and improvements to notification lights and flashes.
For the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro though, Google has even stepped up to the software game by promising not four, not five, but seven years of full OS updates; a big step-up from previous Tensor-powered phones. Should Google actually follow-up on this promise, that would make them competitive with Apple’s update cycle.
Pixel phones are a great way to experience the pure Android experience. Get started with the more affordable Pixel 7A here at Kimstore!
Pixel Watch 2 and Pixel Buds Pro
While the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are undoubtedly the stars of the Made by Google keynote, there were other devices announced as well. For one, the Pixel Watch 2 was also shown off, bringing in a better Snapdragon W5 processor, and improved battery life that lasts for up to 24 hours, even with an always-on display.
There’s also a new stress-detecting feature, multi-path heart rate sensor, and a convenient way to automatically record the start and finish of your workouts. And for sustainability buffs, the watch body is now made of 100% recycled aluminum, which also makes it just a tiny bit lighter.
As for the Pixel Buds Pro, a new upgrade has been confirmed alongside new colorways that match the latest line of Pixel 8 phones. Starting with the Clear Calling feature, the function has now been updated to improve its background noise reduction, helping make the actual voices clearer. It’s going to be baked in too; no need to toggle or enable it.
Auto-pause and transparency mode can now let the buds sense when you’re talking, allowing it to automatically pause whatever you’re listening to while also turning transparency mode on. That way, you can easily have a conversation without needing to remove your earbuds. How convenient!
Lastly, the Pixel Buds Pro will now utilize Bluetooth Super Wide Band, increasing the bandwidth, letting you hear more clearly. Combine that with Clear Calling, and the experience should be quite amazing.
Stay tuned for more Pixel devices here at Kimstore!
One again, Google is looking to bring a lot of innovation and improvements in the world of Android. Whether it’s new devices, iterative upgrades, or even AI smarts for convenience, there’s always something to get excited about. We’re definitely excited for these new products and we should be able to bring them to you soon.
In the meantime, check out our range of other Pixel devices here at Kimstore, your most trusted online gadget store!
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