Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro unveiled: Better cameras and new AI tricks; see India pricing and specs

During its annual hardware event on Wednesday, Google introduced its latest flagship smartphone, the Pixel 8 Pro. Priced at $999 In the United States, it comes with a $100 increase compared to its predecessor. To justify this higher cost, Google has incorporated several enhanced photo and video features, a new temperature sensor, and an extended seven-year software support. Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro can be pre-ordered for Rs 75,999 and Rs 106,999 respectively on Flipkart in India.

Pixel 8, with its contoured edges and smaller size than Pixel 7, feels great in your hand. It has a 6.2-inch Actua display, which gives you real-world clarity and is 42% brighter than Pixel 7’s display. Pixel 8 features satin metal finishes, a polished glass back and comes in Rose, Hazel and Obsidian.

In contrast to last year's Pixel 7, which boasted a 90Hz display, the Pixel 8 introduces a dynamic screen with variable refresh rates ranging from 60Hz to 120Hz. This year's Pixel 8 also comes equipped with a larger battery, boasting a minimum capacity of 4,485mAh, promising improved battery life. Additionally, it supports fast charging, capable of delivering up to a 50% charge within approximately 30 minutes.

The design of the hardware remains familiar, retaining the distinctive camera bar while softening the edges and lines, incorporating a polished glass back. Last year's Pixel 7 featured a matte finish, while the Pixel 7 Pro had a glossy appearance. In the Pixel 8, these finish styles have been reversed. Both the front and back of the device benefit from Corning's Gorilla Glass Victus for added protection against scratches and cracks.

However, the most significant upgrades are in the rear camera department. The Pixel 8 inherits the same primary sensor found in the Pixel 8 Pro—an upgraded 50-megapixel octa PD camera with an f/1.68 aperture. This camera can deliver 2x optical zoom and leverage Google's Super Res Zoom (digital zoom) capabilities, reaching up to 8x. The Pixel 8's ultrawide camera features built-in lens correction to counteract distortion and stretching often observed at the edges of ultrawide shots. Google claims faster autofocus across the entire camera experience, particularly in low-light conditions. Complementing these camera improvements are Google's renowned camera software features, including Magic Eraser, Photo Unblur, Night Sight, Top Shot, and more.

Driving these features is Google's new Tensor G3, which promises to enhance the performance of these tools significantly. Google asserts that the machine learning model on the Pixel 8 is 10 times more complex than the Tensor chip found in the Pixel 6. This new silicon also powers features such as Call Screen and Audio Magic Eraser, designed to eliminate distracting sounds from your videos.

The Pixel 8 Pro is available in three colour options: Bay, Porcelain, and Obsidian. Its design closely resembles last year's model, featuring a prominent camera bar on the back and sleek metal sides. However, Google has made some subtle changes, such as introducing a matte texture on the rear panel of the Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and a flatter display with less rounded edges. Like its predecessor, the phone boasts an IP68 rating, making it resistant to dust and water, with the ability to withstand submersion up to 5.5 feet for 30 minutes.

The Pixel 8 Pro features a 6.7-inch Super Actua display based on an LTPO OLED panel, boasting a 120Hz variable refresh rate and a peak brightness of 2,400 nits. Google highlights the Super Actua branding, highlighting the screen's precise colour and tuning to deliver accurate and lifelike visuals. In contrast to the standard Pixel 8, the Pro version introduces a new 10.5-MP selfie camera with dual-phase detection autofocus. Google also claims that the facial recognition technology in the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro has been improved with a new algorithm and upgraded hardware for more precise recognition.

The most significant upgrades come in the camera department, with the Pixel 8 Pro featuring upgraded sensors, including a 50-MP main camera, a 48-MP ultra-wide camera, and a 48-MP telephoto camera with a 5x optical zoom. Users can now utilise Google's Night Sight Mode while recording videos and benefit from the new Best Take feature, which helps select the best reactions from a series of images. Additionally, the Pixel's Magic Editor, powered by AI, can enhance various aspects of photos, and the Audio Magic Eraser tool allows for the removal of distracting sounds in video clips.

Photography enthusiasts will appreciate the inclusion of pro camera controls, enabling adjustments to settings like shutter speed, ISO, and white balance. It's also possible to capture images at the sensor's full 50 megapixels in JPEG, RAW, or RAW+JPEG modes. For improved video quality, the new Video Boost feature sends recordings to the cloud, where Google's servers apply advanced computational algorithms, although this process may take several hours.

Under the hood, the Pixel 8 Pro is powered by Google's Tensor G3 chip, paired with 12GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage. The G3 chip's enhanced performance supports new features like improved spam filtering for the Pixel's Call Screener, Audio Magic Eraser, and superior image processing. Google has also introduced software enhancements, such as the ability to read websites aloud while translating them, a proofreading tool in Gboard, Assistant voice typing in multiple languages, and a magnifier app for increased accessibility.

The Pixel 8 Pro distinguishes itself from the standard Pixel 8 with the inclusion of a temperature sensor in the camera bar. Initially, it can measure the temperature of nearby objects, and Google is in discussions with the FDA to potentially use it as a thermometer for measuring human body temperature in the future. Like the standard Pixel 8, the Pixel 8 Pro offers an extended seven-year software support commitment, including regular security patches and Android updates, making it one of the longest software support commitments for any Android smartphone, aside from the Fairphone 5.

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