You may be hard-pressed to seek out this subsequent new function on one other smartphone: a temperature sensor. That is unique to the Pixel 8 Professional. Google says you are in a position to measure the temperature of just about something by pointing the sensor on the again of the Pixel to an object. I measured cups of scorching and iced water, and it delivered outcomes fairly shortly, although you need to get very near the factor you wish to measure, and you will get extra correct outcomes if you happen to select one of many preset choices on the fabric you are attempting to learn, like glass or ceramic. (Google says these presets assist calibrate the sensor.) Theoretically, you may even measure somebody’s physique temperature. Google has submitted the app to the FDA for this goal, however it hasn’t been cleared for such use.
These new telephones are powered by Tensor G3, Google’s third era of its customized silicon processor, and the corporate says “each subsystem has been upgraded,” together with the picture sign processor to enhance the Pixel’s picture-taking capabilities. Talking of, the Pixel 8 has an upgraded 50-megapixel main digicam with what Google claims is a 20 p.c enchancment in mild sensitivity. (Extra mild sensitivity means brighter and sharper pictures, particularly in low mild.) It is joined by a 12-megapixel ultrawide digicam that helps macro mode from the Pixel 7 Professional, so you may seize close-ups.
The Pixel 8 Professional has upgraded light-gathering capabilities in all three of its cameras: a 50-megapixel fundamental digicam, a 48-megapixel ultrawide, and a 48-megapixel telephoto digicam with 5X optical zoom. Its macro mode can now get even nearer to a topic, and the Professional’s autofocus system is now “multi-zone,” permitting for a wider cone of focus in pictures. This Pixel additionally will get an unique Professional digicam mode that enables shutterbugs to tweak issues like ISO and shutter velocity whereas nonetheless making the most of the Pixel’s computational pictures.
Each telephones have a ten.5-megapixel selfie digicam, however I’ve excellent news and unhealthy information. There’s lastly autofocus on the front-facing digicam, permitting you to see all of your pores in sharp element. Sadly, that is out there solely on the Pixel 8 Professional. The Pixel 8’s entrance digicam has a set focus.
There are some new digicam software program tips this yr. The good is Video Increase mode, one more unique for the Pixel 8 Professional. Right here, whenever you take a video in low-light situations (as much as 4K, 30 frames per second), the clip is distributed to Google’s cloud servers for processing and is then despatched again to you—relying on the size of the video, it could actually take a number of hours. Nevertheless, the enhancements are startling. Google confirmed me clips utilizing this mode versus these from the iPhone 14 Professional, and the Pixel’s video was a lot brighter and sharper, with higher stabilization.
Magic Editor is a brand new instrument in Google Photographs that means that you can edit a photograph in a wide range of methods. You may change the place of a topic—in a demo, a Google spokesperson moved a child throwing a basketball from the bottom to the ring, making it appear like he was dunking; you may even transfer shadows, and the software program is aware of to fill within the background with comparable textures. Google additionally showcased altering the lighting of the scene to golden hour, to simulate heat sundown tones. One other functionality is Audio Magic Eraser, which can be utilized to take away undesirable sounds in your movies, similar to an ambulance siren going off whilst you’re attempting to file a tune in your violin. Google’s additionally bringing Actual Tone, which permits extra correct pores and skin tones for folks of coloration, to movies. And there is a new instrument to alter the face of somebody in a gaggle picture—perhaps they blinked or appeared away from the digicam—with one other one. These options blew me away a lot once I was sitting by way of the demo that I’ve written about them in greater detail in a separate story.
