The Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro will be here before you know it. Here are all the latest rumors, plus a few things we’re hoping to see.
The Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are on their way. Google’s fallen into a pretty reliable release pattern for Pixel phones, meaning we can safely expect a new lineup of flagship Pixels each year. In 2023, that means the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro.
The Google Pixel 7 and Google Pixel 7 Pro are two excellent devices — possibly two of the best smartphones Google has ever made. But while they have some serious strengths, several problems and missed opportunities drag both phones down. This wouldn’t be a problem if the competition were standing still, but it’s not. The Apple iPhone 15 Pro is a beast, and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is quite possibly one of the best smartphones ever created. So what’s a humble Pixel to do?
Here’s a roundup of the latest Pixel 8 rumors we’ve heard so far, plus a wish list of a few things we’re hoping to see.Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro: design
So far, leaks have suggested Google won’t be making any drastic changes to the Pixel 8 line. The overall design will remain largely the same as that of the Pixel 7 Pro, with Google favoring rounded edges again. This is also backed up by official renders shared by Google, which you can see in the first two photos above.
There will be an increased rounding of the corner profile — but with a slight increase in width. Case designers are confirming this approach, with leaked images of cases echoing the earlier design leaks. However, it’s worth keeping in mind that many case manufacturers create renders around the most likely leaks and may not have a direct source within Google.
As is tradition for the Pixel line, we should expect a dual-tone approach with glass on both sides and a metal frame extending to the camera bar strip on the back of the device. But there does appear to be a change with the camera bar, at least with how the lenses are housed. Instead of the dual cutout design that you’ll currently find on the Pixel 7 Pro, the Pixel 8 Pro seems to only have a single, elongated pill-shaped cutout that will house all three camera sensors.
Like most phones these days, the camera bar should have a high-resolution main camera, an ultrawide camera, and a periscope-style telephoto lens. One leak also shows another round cutout underneath the LED flash; a leaked video has revealed this to be a temperature sensor. The video shows a model removing their glasses and moving the sensor close to their face to take a reading. If legitimate, it’s an odd inclusion, and we’re not sure why such a niche sensor would be worthwhile on a mainstream flagship phone. This seems to be a Pixel 8 Pro-only feature, too, as the sensor doesn’t appear on any renders of the Pixel 8.
Other than that, not much else has changed, especially regarding the thickness of the bezels. The selfie camera is also in the same position as it is on the Pixel 7 Pro. The screen of the Pixel 8 Pro looks flat, rather than having the curved sides of its predecessor.
The display appears to measure 6.52 inches and could be an OLED display panel with at least a 90Hz refresh rate. The phone’s dimensions seem to come in at 162.6mm by 76.5mm by 8.7mm.
We got another look at the Pixel 8 Pro in early July, this time with the phone appearing in hands-on images. In a (now-deleted) Reddit post, the two photos showcased the front and back of the Pixel 8 Pro.
The photos confirm what we see in the renders above, including the redesigned camera housing and the temperature sensor. We also get a better look at the more rounded corners, the phone’s flat display edges, and what appears to be a frosted-glass finish on the back.
Leaks for the regular Pixel 8 show a more rounded phone with a metallic frame, a horizontal camera bar on the back, and dual camera sensors in a single pill-shaped cutout. The earpiece grille at the top is more prominent than the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, which signals a slight design change.
The Pixel 8 could also have a smaller form factor than its predecessor, which should appeal to small phone enthusiasts. The dimensions of the Pixel 8 appear to be 150.5mm x 70.8mm x 8.9mm, which is smaller than the Pixel 7’s size at 155.6mm x 73.2mm x 8.7mm. This means the height has been reduced by about 5mm, and it’s 2.4mm narrower, too. If the smaller size is true, then it should have a more comfortable in-hand feel.
Google Pixel 8 Pro
– 6.7″ QHD+ LTPO OLED, 120Hz
– Google Tensor G3 + Titan chip
– 12GB RAM
– 128/256GB storage
– Camera: 50MP (OIS) + 64MP UW + 48MP Selfie: 11MP
– Temperature sensor, Ultrasonic FP
– Android 14
– 4,950mAh battery, 27W wired charging
Launch: October
— Yogesh Brar (@heyitsyogesh) July 17, 2023
However, a leak from Twitter user @heyitsyogesh gives us a better look at the size of the Google Pixel 8 Pro display. According to his tweet, the display will be a 6.7-inch QHD+ LTPO OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. This is slightly larger than the previously mentioned 6.52-inch size, which could actually be for the regular Pixel 8 since this was also said with a 90Hz refresh rate.
Google has an issue where it can’t help but leak its upcoming products it seems. The Pixel 8 Pro was spotted on Google’s official website via a marketing render. This image was quickly pulled from the website, but not before people noticed. In this marketing image, we can see a Pixel 8 Pro in a white (porcelain) finish, which also has a shiny glass back and the classic camera island strip with metallic luster. The camera also seems to be more of a cyclops-ish oval lens cutout rather than the pill-and-hole aesthetics from previous Pixel 7 Pro models.
Over the long Labor Day weekend, it appeared that Google itself once again leaked the Pixel 8 Pro, this time through its own Pixel Simulator. The simulator is designed to give users a 360-degree look at current Pixel devices, which is helpful for showing where sensors and ports are located. In the simulator, it is shown that the Pixel 8 Pro will come in black, light blue, and gray colors. There also appears to be confirmation of the temperature sensor underneath the camera strip.
According to Google’s own mockups of the Pixel 8 Pro, it appears to still have a SIM card slot, which is contrary to rumors that it may be removing that in favor of eSIM.Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro: specs
We have a fairly solid idea of what the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro will look like — but what kind of specs will they be touting? We have a few ideas.
It should be a no-brainer at this point to expect the next iteration of Google’s Tensor chip, which is probably going to be called the Tensor G3. It’s reported that this chip will be made using the 3nm process, which should mean significant upgrades for both raw performance and power efficiency.
One problem with the Pixel 7 lineup was power efficiency, as many people reported issues with not-so-great battery life, plus heat buildup when dealing with more power-intensive apps and games. Hopefully, the next generation Tensor chip can fix those issues on the Pixel 8 series.
What about the display? WinFuture spotted two Google device codenames last November — including Husky and Shiba. Husky is expected to be the Pixel 8 Pro and is said to feature a 2822 x 1344 display resolution. Shiba, the regular Pixel 8, will have a slightly lower-res display at 2268 x 1080. Both phones should have OLED panels.
WinFuture’s sleuthing also revealed that both the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro should come with 12GB of RAM — a nice upgrade from the base 8GB of RAM offered on the Pixel 7 series. The latest tweet from @heyitsyogesh confirms the 12GB upgrade.
A report in June 2023 confirms that the Pixel 8 will be getting the Tensor G3 chips, and it’s going to have some big upgrades. The Tensor G3 chip will have more modern cores, support for the latest storage standard, and more.
