Google's new Pixel 8 Pro introduces Night Sight for videos and pro camera controls

At today’s Made by Google event, the tech giant unveiled its latest flagship smartphone, the Pixel 8 Pro. Priced at $999, it comes with a $100 increase over its predecessor, but Google is betting on a slew of enhanced photo and video features, a new temperature sensor, and an impressive seven-year software support to justify the bump in price.

Design and Build

The Pixel 8 Pro, available in three striking colors — Bay, Porcelain, and Obsidian, maintains a similar design to its predecessor. It features a prominent camera bar on the back and sleek metal sides. Google has made subtle tweaks, including adding a matte texture to the Gorilla Glass Victus 2 rear panel. The display is flatter with less rounded edges, and the phone boasts an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, capable of surviving a submersion of up to 5.5 feet for 30 minutes.

Display and Selfie Camera

The device boasts a 6.7-inch Super Actua display based on an LTPO OLED panel with a 120Hz variable refresh rate and a peak brightness of 2400 nits. Google emphasizes the Super Actua branding to highlight the screen’s color accuracy. The Pixel 8 Pro also introduces a new 10.5-megapixel selfie camera with dual-phase detection autofocus and improved facial recognition algorithms.

Camera Upgrades

The Pixel 8 Pro’s cameras are the standout feature, with a 50MP main sensor, a 48MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 48MP telephoto sensor with 5x optical zoom. Google introduced the Night Sight Mode for video recording, Best Take for selecting the best shots from a series, and the AI-powered Magic Editor for enhancing photos. Additionally, the Audio Magic Eraser tool allows users to remove unwanted sounds from videos. Pro camera controls provide granular settings like shutter speed, ISO, and white balance, and users can capture images in up to 50 megapixels in various modes.

Performance and Software

Under the hood, the Pixel 8 Pro is powered by Google’s Tensor G3 chip, accompanied by 12GB of RAM and storage options of up to 1TB. The Tensor G3 chip enables enhanced features such as improved spam filtering, Audio Magic Eraser, and superior image processing. Google also introduces new software features like web page reading and translation, proofreading in Gboard, multilingual Assistant voice typing, and an accessibility magnifier app.

Temperature Sensor and Software Support

A unique feature of the Pixel 8 Pro is the temperature sensor located in the camera bar. Initially, it measures object temperatures, with future potential to serve as a thermometer for humans pending FDA approval. Impressively, Google commits to providing seven years of software support, including security patches and Android updates, making it one of the longest software support commitments in the Android smartphone market.

Price and Availability

The Pixel 8 Pro will be available in stores starting October 12, with pre-orders already underway. With its focus on camera innovation and extended software support, Google aims to capture the attention of high-end smartphone enthusiasts with the Pixel 8 Pro, even with its slightly increased price point.