The 2023 Made by Google event saw the launch of the highly anticipated Google Pixel 8 series. The tech giant has unveiled the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro across the world, showcasing a fusion of hardware upgrades and groundbreaking AI features that redefine the smartphone experience. Incorporating generative artificial intelligence features in the device itself could be the secret sauce for Pixel to better compete with Apple’s iPhone 15 and other flagships. Pixel is the first smartphone device engineered by Google.

“The ability for us to deliver the computing power you need where you are is super important. That’s why it’s important that we can perform our AI features on your smartphone, rather than you needing to pull out a laptop or perform tasks on another connected device,” explains Soniya Jobanputra, Director of Product Management at Google. These phones are packed with first-of-their-kind features, all powered by Google Tensor G3. And they’ll get seven years of software updates, including Android OS upgrades, security updates, and regular Feature Drops.

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Key Features

The smartphone comes preloaded with the latest Android 14 operating system. With a 6.2-inch Actua display, 120Hz refresh rate, and 1400 nits of brightness, it is priced at $699 (₹75,999) 58,100. Pixel 8 delivers a strong camera performance, featuring a 50MP PD wide primary sensor, accompanied by a 12MP ultrawide camera and a 10.5MP selfie camera. In terms of storage options, it comes in 128 GB and 256 GB. The available color choices are Hazel, Obsidian, and Rose. The new features of the Google Pixel 8 series are capable of giving a tough fight to Apple and Samsung.

Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are elegantly designed with softer silhouettes, beautiful metal finishes, and recycled materials. Both smartphones feature powerful, upgraded camera systems for stunning photo and video quality, plus game-changing editing tools. The contoured edges and smaller size of Pixel 8 make for the perfect fit 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 and a polished glass back.

Pixel 8 Pro’s 6.7-inch Super Actua display is their brightest display yet which makes your pictures look true-to-life with Ultra HDR quality. It also has a matte glass back with a polished aluminum frame and comes in three colors: Porcelain, Bay, and Obsidian. A new temperature sensor on the back lets you quickly scan an object to get its temperature. Google has also submitted an application to the FDA, to enable Pixel’s Thermometer App to take your temperature and save it to Fitbit.

The USP: Camera

Every camera on the Pixel 8 Pro has been upgraded, starting with the main camera that captures better photos and videos in low-light settings. The bigger ultrawide lens delivers even better Macro Focus, the telephoto lens captures 56% more light and takes 10x photos at optical quality. The front-facing camera now has autofocus for the best selfies on a Pixel phone. With Pixel 8 Pro, you’ll have access to Pro Controls like shutter speed, ISO, 50 MP photos throughout the zoom range and more.

And Pixel 8 has the same updated main camera, plus a new ultrawide lens that enables Macro Focus. The camera app has an intuitive, redesigned interface, letting you quickly find and capture content in your favorite photo and video modes.

Best Take

Haven’t we all been in that situation where you have the perfect group photo, but at least one person doesn’t like how their picture looks? The “Best Take” feature selects the ideal face from a series of images captured during a photo session, ensuring the best outcome.

Magic Editor

Magic Editor in Google Photos is a new experimental editing experience that uses generative AI to bring your imagination to life. You can now reposition and resize subjects or use presets to make the background pop — all with just a few taps.

Audio Magic Eraser 

It lets you easily reduce distracting sounds in your video, like howling winds or noisy crowds. This first-of-its-kind computational audio capability uses advanced machine learning models to sort sounds into distinct layers so you can control their levels.

Video Boost & Night Sight

Later this year, Pixel 8 Pro will get Video Boost, which pairs Tensor G3 with the tech company’s powerful data centers to apply cutting-edge processing to your videos. It adjusts color, lighting, stabilization, and graininess. Video Boost also enables Night Sight Video on Pixel for better low-light smartphone video quality. It enhances low-light photos by brightening them, increasing detail, reducing blurriness, and maintaining color accuracy. 

Other AI Features

“When we look at AI, it’s not about ‘Oh, what’s the fancy new tech we can put in the phone?’ It’s about ‘What’s the new feature that’s going to help our users be a better version of themselves?’ And that’s what we’re designing into our phones,” said Soniya Jobanputra.

Live Translate

Live Translate on Pixel phones makes real-time translation possible – not just text-based language but also spoken words, interpreting live audio from one speaker to another in 49 languages without any app. Thanks to Google Tensor G3, you can run speech recognition and language translation on-device with no internet connection required. On Pixel phones, Live Translate works across text, camera, videos, podcasts, phone calls, video calls, and audio messages. That means you can read text in another language by pointing the camera at a sign or a menu, or watch a video that isn’t in your native tongue with Live Caption. It can also transcribe messages and translate signs.

Summarise

With Summarize, Pixel can generate a summary of a webpage, so you can quickly glance through the key points. The smartphone can even read aloud and translate webpages for you so you can listen to articles on the go.

An image of Google Pixel 8 Pro reading a webpage aloud.

Voice Typing

Pixel is even better at understanding the nuances of human speech, so you can talk to it more naturally to get things done. If you take a pause or say “um,” it will wait until you’re done before responding. Use your voice to quickly type, edit and send messages, even if you speak multiple languages.

Call Screen

Call Screen is a handy feature that allows you to identify callers and their intentions before answering a call. Google showcased its capabilities during a demonstration, revealing its ability to detect and block scams, such as fake lottery calls. On the other hand, if it identifies a legitimate delivery agent at your doorstep, it offers predefined options like instructing them to leave the package by the door.

This feature streamlines call handling, ensuring you only engage with calls that matter while protecting you from potential scams. It will also silently answer calls from unknown numbers with a more natural-sounding voice to engage the caller. And soon, Call Screen will suggest contextual replies for you to tap to quickly respond to simple calls, like appointment confirmations, without having to answer the phone.

An image of Call Screen on the home screen of Google Pixel 8

Google Assistant with Bard

When integrated into the Google Assistant on Pixel devices, Bard will leverage Generative AI to offer personalized and intuitive responses. Demonstrated at the Made by Google event, this feature will enable users to request assistance with tasks like captioning a social media post including relevant hashtags. Although it is currently in testing, it is anticipated to debut on the latest Pixel devices.

Security

Google Tensor G3 works with the Titan M2 security chip to protect personal information and enhance your Pixel’s security against advanced attacks. And now, Face Unlock on Pixel 8 meets the highest Android biometric class, allowing you to access compatible banking and payment apps like Google Wallet.

Pixel Price & Benefits

You can now pre-order Pixel 8 starting at $699 (Rs. 75,999 approx.) and Pixel 8 Pro from $999 (Rs. 1,06,999 approx.). If you pre-order a Pixel 8 Pro, you can get a Pixel Watch 2 as well. Get the best deals on Google Fi Wireless by pre-ordering the Pixel phones from there. Plus, enjoy flexible, secure phone plans that include full connectivity for the Pixel Watch 2 at no additional cost. Both devices, plus cases will be available at the Google Store and the retail partners beginning October 12, 2023. Additionally, get 6 months of Fitbit Premium and 2 TB Google One Premium for new users along with 3 months of YouTube Premium free.

google pixel 8 series pro
A person examines the new Pixel 8 Phone, in New York City, U.S., October 4, 2023. REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs

Reactions To Pixel

In honour of Techtober, YouTubers Marques, Andrew, and David got together to chat about Google’s event and all the newly launched products. They start off the video with the Pixel Buds Pro update and the new Pixel Watch 2 before going deep on the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. They talk about everything from the new camera system to the scary good AI features that Google is putting in its smartphones along with some Google-themed trivia.

An X (formerly Twitter) user posted the difference between the ultrawide camera lens of Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 8 Pro. He captured the same location with both the smartphones to showcase the same.

Another user appreciated the UI transition on the Google Pixel 8.

Damien Wilde from the YouTube Channel Android Community, compared the Google Pixel 8 with the iPhone 15 to determine which smartphone towers over the other.

Google has definitely upped its game through Pixel when it comes to the smartphone market domination. It aims to go head-to-head with iPhones by targeting its main USP – the camera. Let’s see what the public feels about the new Pixel 8 series once it’s available everywhere post October 12, 2023.