As always, the headliners of the Made by Google presentation are smartphones, the new generation of which the company has just officially unveiled – Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. The day before, insiders and the company had already shared a lot of details, so the event itself seemed quite predictable. So, let’s summarize what the company was able to prepare for its fans this time.

The design of both smartphones remains familiar and has not changed much compared to previous models. The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro still use a combination of metal and glass, but this time the bodies have less “sharp” corners and slightly modified camera units.

The dimensions of Pixel 8 have changed slightly. The smartphone has become smaller and now its dimensions are 150.5×70.8×8.9 mm with a weight of 187 grams (it was 155×6.73.2×8.7 mm, 197 grams). The new case is available in Hazel, Obsidian and Rose colors, with a glossy finish on the back cover.

The diagonal of the display (Actua display) has slightly decreased from 6.3 to 6.2 inches. Most of the other characteristics remained unchanged, but the maximum brightness was increased from 1400 to 2000 cd/m², and the refresh rate was increased from 90 to 120 Hz.

Pixel 8 Pro, on the other hand, has hardly changed its dimensions – 162.6×76.5×8.8 mm and 213 grams. Color options: Obsidian, Porcelain and Bay. Unlike the Pixel 8, the Pro model has a matte glass finish. The diagonal of the screen (Super Actua display) is still 6.7 inches, but now it has a slightly lower resolution – 2992×1344 pixels, and the brightness of the screen has increased to 2400 cd/m².

In both cases, the smartphones are protected against water and dust according to the IP68 standard.

Also common to Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are the new 4-nanometer Google Tensor G3 processors. All components of the processors have been updated, and the company emphasizes improvements in the processing of AI tasks on the device itself. As it was demonstrated, for example, this should help with generative assistant functions or intelligent noise reduction during calls, as well as in image processing.

The “junior” model will offer memory combinations with 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 128GB or 256GB UFS 3.1 storage. The Pro version now has 12 GB of RAM in all cases, and variations in permanent memory range from 128 GB to 1 TB. There are few changes in the connectivity options: both models received updated modules with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3 support.

Of course, customers will receive the new models immediately with Android 14. Moreover, the company plans to update smartphones for seven years, which will include both new features and security updates.

As for the cameras, Google Pixel 8 has the same set of two main sensors without any changes in resolution. But they have been improved anyway. The 50MP wide-angle now has an aperture of ƒ/1.7, and the 12MP ultra-wide-angle with ƒ/2.2 has increased the capture angle to 126°.

The company promises improvements in video recording, such as more accurate processing of different skin tones and the Audio Magic Eraser function (removing unnecessary noise from wind, music, crowds, etc.). The Best Take feature (the app will offer variants of facial expressions that were used in preparation for the photo to each of the people present) and Magic Editor (removing unnecessary objects from photos and changing the position of others) will help with photos.

There are a few more changes in Pixel 8 Pro. The wide-angle sensor remains at 50 MP and now also has ƒ/1.7. The telephoto and ultra-wide-angle cameras are now equal in resolution (48 MP). The former also has a ƒ/2.8 and is capable of 5x optical zoom, and the latter has a ƒ/2.0 with a 126° capture angle and improved focusing for macro shots.

In addition, the user will be offered advanced Pro Controls settings. The recording capabilities have also gone even further, with Video Boost being an improved HDR+ mode, as well as Night Sight Video, which should help record video in low-light conditions.

Both models have the same front-facing cameras – 10.5 MP, ƒ/2.0, 20 mm – but the Pixel 8 Pro has “mastered” autofocus.

The battery of the “junior” model has increased to 4,575 mAh and now supports 27-watt charging via a wired connection, and the induction charging power has decreased to 18 watts (it was 20). In Pixel 8 Pro, the battery capacity has not increased so much – 5,050 mAh, but wired charging has increased the maximum power to 30 watts (it was 23).

Google is already opening pre-orders in selected countries. In the US, the Pixel 8 costs from $699 to $759, while the Pixel 8 Pro costs from $999 to $1,399. Unfortunately, there is still no information about the official presence of Pixel smartphones in Ukraine.