Google Pixel 8 launched but what is new about it?

Google held its annual hardware event today, unveiling the highly anticipated Pixel 8 series and the Pixel Watch 2. Leaks and rumors had already provided substantial insights into these new offerings ahead of the official launch.

Google Pixel 8 launched but what is new about it?

The Pixel 8, a successor to the previous year's model, maintains a similar design, albeit with slightly rounded corners and a more compact form factor. Notable design elements include a horizontal camera bridge housing the rear camera sensors and a punch-hole cutout on the front for its 6.17-inch OLED display, boasting FHD+ resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, 2,000 nits peak brightness, and HDR support.

Google's reputation in the smartphone market is closely tied to its photography capabilities, and the Pixel 8 continues this tradition. It features dual rear cameras, led by a 50MP Samsung ISOCELL GN2 primary sensor paired with a 12MP IMX386 ultra-wide-angle unit, which also offers macro focus. Additionally, there's an upgraded ToF sensor. The front-facing camera remains a 10.5MP unit. Notably, the device can record video in 8K and offers a range of features such as staggered HDR, Face Unblur, super res zoom, and audio magic eraser.

Under the hood, the Pixel 8 is powered by Google's Tensor G3 chipset, built on a 3nm architecture, and features a Titan M2 security chip. It comes with 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM and offers storage options of up to 256GB. The smartphone is equipped with a 4,485mAh battery, supporting both 24W wired and 18W wireless charging. It runs on Android 14 out of the box, with Google promising an impressive 7 years of OS updates and security patches.

Available in Hazel, Rose, and Obsidian color options, the Google Pixel 8 starts at $699 in the US and Rs 75,999 in India for the 128GB variant. Pre-orders have already begun, with sales scheduled to commence on October 12.

Google Pixel 8 Pro launched with really interesting featuresMobile