Google announces Pixel 8 and 8 Pro
Google has announced its new flagship smartphones, the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.
The eighth edition of the company's only smartphones use a new Google Tensor 3 chip, which Google is calling its most powerful chip yet, and both models also include upgraded cameras. Google says the Pixel 8 Pro offers “the best Pixel camera yet.”
Both smartphone designs are softer and more refined than the Pixel 7 series, and the smartphones feature new colours and recycled materials in their construction. The Pixel 8 is slightly thicker than the Pixel 7 but also a bit narrower and about 10g lighter.
The Pixel 8 Pro will likely be of most interest to photographers. It features a polished aluminium frame and matte glass, as well as being IP68-rated for dust and moisture.
Google says the phone uses Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, which should help with scratch resistance. That display is 6.7-inches and 1344 x 2992 resolution, with it also brighter than the Pixel 7 Pro.
The camera
The 8 Pro’s primary rear camera is identical to the wide camera on the standard Pixel 8. It is a 50-megapixel Octa PD wide camera with an f/1.68 lens. The Type 1/1.31-inch sensor has 1.2 μm pixels.
The Pixel 8 Pro’s ultra-wide camera is where the action is - it uses a 48-megapixel Quad PD sensor built around an f/1.95 lens. This is a major improvement over the 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera on the standard 8 and last year’s 7 Pro smartphone.
That said, the telephoto camera is unchanged from last year, so it relies on the same 48-megapixel sensor with an f/2.8 lens. It offers 5x optical zoom and Super Res Zoom (digital) up to 30x.
On the Pro Google has packed in the features, For the first time in a Pixel there are now 'Pro controls' (allowing for the control of aperture and shutter speed) and High-resolution images, which are both features exclusive to the Pixel 8 Pro,
In addition there is an Ultra HDR mode, Magic Editor, Best Take, Macro Focus, Magic Eraser, Photo Unblur, Motion Mode, Real Tone, Face Unblur, Panorama, Night Sight, Top Shot, Portrait Mode, Portrait Light, Super Res Zoom, Motion AF, Frequent Faces, Dual exposure controls, and Live HDR+ (...phew!)
The 8 Pro records 4K video at up to 60 fps. It also shoots 10-bit HDR video and includes Cinematic Blur and Cinematic Pan modes. The device also shoots 240p video in Slo-mo mode and has 4K and astrophotography timelapse modes.
You can now pre-order the Pixel 8 from today in Hazel, Rose or Obsidian colourways, with prices starting at $1,199.
Pixel 8 Pro is available from $1,699, and is available in Bay, Porcelain and Obsidian colourways.
Both devices will be available at the Google Store, Telstra, JB HI-FI, Optus, Vodafone, Officeworks and Harvey Norman and will be officially on sale from October 13.