Many people think of Google Pixel phones as the “iPhones” of Android. They’re made by the maker of Android, Google, and they are usually first in line for new Android updates. They also feature, every year, more and more proprietary hardware, with new Pixel phones coming with Google-designed Tensor chips, since the Pixel 6 in 2021. Now, the newest flagship entries in the Pixel series are here, in the form of the Pixel 8 and the Pixel 8 Pro.
The new smartphones from Google are here, and they represent the very best from Google to date. In classic Google fashion, the phones have leaked several times over the course of the past few months, and in recent days we’ve even seen pre-release unboxing videos, so Google doesn’t really bother trying to hide its phones anymore — we already knew they were coming, and we even knew how they looked like. Google has fully spilled the beans on when you’ll be able to get these phones, how powerful they will be, and how much you will be paying for them.
The Pixel 8 comes with a 6.2-inch 120Hz display, while the Pixel 8 Pro improves on that with a 6.7-inch panel and an adaptive refresh rate that can go from 1 to 120Hz depending on usage. Both phones come with the Google Tensor G3 SoC, and as far as RAM goes, the Pixel 8 packs 8GB while the Pixel 8 Pro goes up to 12GB. Both phones have a 50MP main camera, with the Pixel 8 only having a 12MP ultrawide auxiliary sensor and the Pixel 8 Pro packing both a 48MP ultrawide and a 48MP telephoto with 5X optical zoom.
The Pixel 8 has up to 256GB of storage, while the Pixel 8 Pro improves on that with 512GB and 1TB options (the latter only available in the US). The former also packs a 4,575 mAh battery, while the latter will pack a 5,050 mAh cell. Both devices should have excellent battery life.
Finally, but not least important, both phones come with Android 14 out of the box, being the first smartphones to ship with Google’s newest operating system — and in addition to the many years of major Android updates Pixel phones have, Google is now doubling down on its commitment to updates and will release OS updates and security patches for these phones for a whopping 7 years. This means that Pixels are now officially the longest-lasting Android smartphones out there, a spot that was briefly taken by Samsung and OnePlus phones.
The new Pixels do come with a price hike compared to last year — the Pixel 8 will set you back $699, while the Pixel 8 Pro will start at $999. The Google Store is now taking pre-orders.
Source: Google Blog, Google Support