Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro integrate advanced face unlock with Google Wallet and banking app support

While Google will not start shipping the Pixel 8 series until next week. However, the likes of 9to5Google and The Verge have already been discovering some of the pair's lesser-spoken elements during today's launch event. For example, both outlets report that Google has expanded the versatility of Face Unlock for the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, although the company does not mention this on its product pages.

Apparently, it will be possible to authenticate payments with the Pixel 8 series using face unlock through its BiometricPrompt API, which has not been possible on Pixel smartphones since the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. Instead, Google restricts the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro to just unlocking your device, with Google Wallet and banking apps requiring another authentication method. Somehow, the front-facing cameras in the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro meet the 'highest Android biometric standard', also known as Class 3 (formerly Strong).

9to5Google speculates that Google has achieved this change with its Tensor G3 chipset and its 'advanced machine learning algorithms'. Thus, it seems unlikely that any Tensor G2-based devices will be capable of this new functionality. Only the Pixel 8 Pro has a front-facing camera that supports autofocus too, meaning that Google has reached Android's highest biometric standards with just a fixed focus camera. Please see our Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro launch articles for more details about both devices.

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