Google Pixel 8 launch event - Everything that was announced

Google’s latest Pixel Event, Made By Google, has revealed the newest products that the tech giants have been working on.

Let’s take a look at what was announced during the event.

Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro

The latest version of the Pixel phone was announced, with the Pixel 8 coming with some brilliant upgrades that make it the best Pixel phone to date.

Google themselves said of the Pixel 8 “They’re fast and secure phones with Google AI and the most advanced Pixel Cameras yet.”

They announced the standard two versions, the base and then Pro. Both have been given some new upgraded features to the display and camera.

Display

The Pixel 8 is slightly smaller than the Pixel 7, coming in just 0.1 inches smaller at 6.2 inches. The Pro remains at 6.7 inches.

The new Actua display is designed to bring a more clear and vivid picture even in direct sunlight. The 8 Pro even comes with the Super Actua display.

Actua display benefits by bringing extreme brightness - not so much that it’ll blind you, but it should be very noticeable when coupled with the other aspects. 

The 8 benefits from up to 1400 nits in HDR and up to 2000 nits at its peak brightness. With the Pro, that’s upped to 1600 in HDR and 2400 at peak brightness. The peak refresh rate has also been upped from 90 Hz to 120 Hz for both.

Camera

The 8 Pro has a fair few more improvements over the non-Pro, most notably the ultrawide rear camera.

One feature that is the same for both is that they will have a new Macro Focus mode, although it will perform better on the 8 Pro.

The 8 has the same 12 MP, f/2.2 ultrawide as last year’s models, but the 8 Pro has been given a 48-megapixel Quad PD sensor with f/195 max aperture and improved autofocus performance.

On the Pixel 8, it will feature a 50 MP main wide camera which will have better low-light performance. It features a 2x ‘Optical Quality’ mode, which basically just crops to the centre of the frame to mimic a 2x optical lens.

The 8 Pro features the same main camera but also adds Google’s Super Res Zoom digital computational tele mode which can go up to 8x.

Telephoto mode is only available on the Pro; this is a 5x optical telephoto camera that boasts a brighter, f/2.8 aperture for the 48 MP sensor. 

It includes Super Res Zoom up to 30x as well for incredibly detailed pictures even while zoomed in at its fullest.

There is also plenty of other technology going on that is improved on the 8 Pro over the 8, including a better multi-zone laser detect autofocus over the 8’s single-zone.

As for video, the Pro records at up to 4K with 24, 30 and 60 fps options. Slow-mo capture is at 240 fps and there is a 20x digital zoom. The 8 only features an 8x digital zoom.

A new feature announced is the Audio Magic Eraser, which claims to be able to remove background noise in captured clips.

There are loads of other new features and technologies on the cameras for both so be sure to check them out fully on the Google Pixel website.

Performance

Google also announced that the Pixel 8 range will be using the new Tensor G3 processor. This is where the real benefits of upgrading lie, as the Tensor G3 makes the phone perform better than ever while still being capable of running all the new functions.

Battery life is largely the same - 24+ hour battery life is still boasted, but the capacity has been slightly increased compared to their Pixel 7 predecessors.

The Pixel 8 has a 4575 mAh battery compared to the 7's 4355 mAh, and the 8 Pro has a 5050 mAh battery compared to the 7 Pro’s 5000 mAh.

Pixel Watch 2

The Pixel Watch released last year was Google’s first soiree into the smartwatch industry and now they have brought some upgrades for the second edition.

The heart rate monitoring system has been improved and an additional pair of sensors have been included that are designed to give the device a fuller picture of its wearer. 

They have also borrowed some features from the Fitbit line, including a body-response sensor and skin temperature sensor.

You can check out more new features on the Pixel Watch 2 by watching the video Google posted on their X account.

Pixel Buds Pro

The Pixel Buds Pro have been given an update. There are new features, such as conversation detection, listening stats, and support for Bluetooth Super Wideband for better sound quality on calls.

AI will also be used to detect when you are speaking, proceeding to reduce background noise by switching to the transparency mode.

Android 14

The latest update to the operating system, Android 14 will come with new customisation options and accessibility features on top of much more.

Things like customising your lock and home screen and switching to a new wallpaper have been made even easier.

AI will once again play a part by changing your lock screen based on your current situation. So say if there is bad weather where you are, the AI will push the weather widget to be more prominent.

Call Screen is a new feature that will reduce the number of spam calls you get. When you get a phone call, you will be presented with a screen that will let you better determine if you want to take the call or not. 

This will also include allowing AI to answer calls on your behalf, which if the demo during the event is anything to go by, is a very lifelike-sounding voice.

Google Assistant has also received an upgrade, using the ever-improving Google Bard AI alongside the Google Assistant to better handle a broader range of questions and tasks.