5 October, 2023

Google Launches Pixel 8, 8 Pro & Pixel Watch 2

After months of leaks and rumours, Google officially revealed its Pixel 8 and 8 Pro smartphones last night, as well as the new Pixel Watch 2.

The Pixel 8 is smaller than its Pixel 7 forbear and comes with a 6.2-inch Actua display, which gives you real-world clarity and is 42 per cent brighter than the Pixel 7’s display. It has a satin metal finish and a polished glass back. It’s available in three colours: Rose, Hazel and Obsidian.

The Pixel 8 Pro’s 6.7-inch Super Actua display features Google’s brightest display yet. It has a matte glass back and a polished aluminium frame and comes in three colours Porcelain, Bay and Obsidian.

The cameras have long been the standout feature of Google’s Pixel phones and these are no different.

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 per cent more light than Pixel 7 Pro and takes 10x zoomed photos at optical quality, and the front-facing camera now has autofocus for the best selfies on a Pixel phone.

The Pixel 8 has the same updated main camera, plus a new ultrawide lens that enables Macro Focus.

The camera app interface has been redesigned to make it more intuitive and on the Pixel 8 Pro, users will get access to Pro Controls with settings such as shutter speed, ISO, 50 MP photos throughout the zoom range and more.

The phones also get a bunch of AI features including Magic Editor that “brings photos “in line with the essence of the moment” allowing users to reposition and resize subjects or use presets to make the background pop.

Audio Magic Eraser lets users reduce distracting sounds in videos such as howling winds or noisy crowds and Video Boost is coming later this year to adjust colour, lighting, stabilisation and graininess.

The Pixel 8 starts at $1,199 and the Pixel 8 Pro starts at $1,699. Both are available on 12 October.

The Pixel Watch 2, meanwhile, is both lighter and larger than its predecessor. It comes with a new quad-core CPU promising all-day battery life and faster performance as well as a faster charging rate.

It also has an upgraded AI heart rate algorithm and an all-new heart rate sensor that is up to 40 per cent more accurate for vigorous activities like HIIT, spinning and rowing giving you more accurate info on calories burned and Active Zone Minutes to Daily Readiness Score and sleep.

It has also borrowed Fitbit’s Body Response feature (Google owns the wearable manufacturer) which is powered by a new continuous electrodermal activity (cEDA) sensor.

This sensor can point to possible signs of stress using a machine-learning algorithm that incorporates heart rate, heart rate variability and skin temperature. When the algorithm picks up on physical indicators of positive and negative stress, including excitement, the Body Response feature will send users a notification to prompt them to either reflect on how they feel at that moment or take actions to reduce their stress, such as guided breathing or a mindfulness session.

It’s also available from 12 Octoer and will cost $549 for the Bluetooth/wifi version or $649 for the 4G LTE version.

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