Google unveiled its new Pixel 8 at its big annual Made By Google event, which took place at Pier 57 in New York City on Wednesday, October 4th. We already knew a lot about them, but now we know everything. Here's everything you need to know, from key innovations to release date and price. Spoiler alert: Pricing is a sting in the tail, and the announced software updates are some of the biggest and most important surprises.
Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro
While there were other products unveiled, these, as well as the new Android 14 software that will be on board, were the big announcement. The new gadget has a 6,2-inch display, which is slightly smaller than the Pixel 7's 6,3-inch display. The 8 Pro's screen is 6,7 inches, the same as last year.
This year's color names are as exciting as ever: Pixel 8 in Walnut, Pink and Obsidian, Pixel 8 Pro in Cyan (gorgeous blue finish), Porcelain and Obsidian.
The design is a slight refresh of the 7 and 7 Pro, with the 8 featuring a glossy back like last year's phones, but the new 8 Pro's matte glass back.
Displays have been improved in some, but not all, ways. Even though the Pixel 8 is slightly smaller, it now offers a refresh rate of up to 120Hz and includes an adaptive refresh rate. The Pro's display has a very high resolution, 489 pixels per inch, although this is slightly lower than the Pixel 7 Pro. And while the Pixel 8 can run refresh rates from 60Hz to 120Hz, the 8 Pro has refresh rates from 1Hz to 120Hz.
Google Tensor G3 Processor
This is a new house-brand processor that promises a lot of artificial intelligence capabilities. The big update means the machine learning model is 10 times more sophisticated - although that's compared to the Pixel 6 from two years ago. One benefit is improved ability to detect spam calls. And the calls you receive should sound better, as artificial intelligence makes calls clearer.
Камеры
Cameras are always an important part of a new phone, so it's no surprise that Google focused on the cameras in its announcements on Wednesday. The Pixel 8 adds macro focus and uses Best Take to stitch together multiple group images and remove the inevitable blinking faces. The main camera has a resolution of 50 MP, the ultra-wide-angle one is 12 MP.
But the bigger changes are saved for the Pro, which includes a 5x telephoto lens. In total, the 8 Pro boasts a new 50MP main lens, a 48MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 48MP telephoto lens.
Seven years of software updates
How long will it take you to get the latest software on your Android? It varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, but Google is suddenly upping its game. Google says that with the Pixel 8 or 8 Pro, in other words, and not with earlier models, you'll get the latest OS and security updates for seven years, with Feature Drops every few months.
Pixel 8 Pro temperature sensor
In a first for the series, the 8 Pro comes with a temperature sensor so you can scan your cup of coffee to see how hot it is. It sounds like it will be a new thing, but the developers can come up with cool and useful features for this.
Price and start of sales of Pixel 8
This year prices have increased. The Pixel 8 starts at $699, up from $599 for the Pixel 7. In the UK, the price has risen from £599 to £699.
And in some regions there is a larger jump for Pro. The 8 Pro starts at $999, which is $100 more than the 7 Pro's $899 price. In the UK, the £7 849 Pro is replaced by the £8 999 Pro, an increase of £150.
Pre-orders begin today and ship in just a few days, arriving in stores on Wednesday, October 11th.
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