Despite the early Google Pixel 8 Pro leak, the US tech giant surprised consumers with upgrades for the smartphone.
At the Pixel Pro 8 launch event, Google said the Pixel 8 Pro is now equipped with a Tensor G3 chipset. The processor is a significant subsystem upgrade, providing a platform for on-device generative artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities.
New rear camera features have also been added, including a 50MP main sensor, a 48MP 5x zoom telephoto lens, and a 48MP ultra-wide camera. Additionally, the rear camera will feature Zoom Enhance that can retroactively put in detail when a photo is pinched to zoom in.
The Pixel Pro 8 includes a temperature sensor capable of accurately gauging surface and object temperature. The reader may also be able to measure body temperature soon.
The smartphone keeps its 6.7-inch display as the previous model, with low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) technology and a 2,400 nit peak brightness.
Some upcoming features are unavailable at launch, including Magic Editor, a generative AI image editing tool previewed at Google I/O. Video Boost, which offloads some processing to the cloud and unlocks the Night Sight Video feature, has also been excluded from the release.
The Pixel Pro 8 retails for $999, $100 more than the Pixel 7 Pro. The device comes in black, porcelain, and light blue. The Pixel 8 Pro is already available for pre-order, with shipping set to start October 12.
Google Promises Pixel 8 Series’ 7-Year Updates
Google recently unveiled the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, showcasing numerous upgrades and introducing an ambitious software update strategy.
The search giant said the Pixel 8 series will have a software update support of seven years. That means Pixel 8 owners can receive updates until 2030.
The new software update duration extends Google’s previous five-year security updates and the three-year Android operating system (OS) updates on prior Pixel models.
The seven-year support period beats the duration offered by nearly all of Google’s mainstream Android competitors. Still, Fairphone remains in the lead, with Fairphone 5’s eight-year security updates. The Dutch smartphone maker also thinks extending the updates to ten years is possible.
