Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro may feature new Samsung ISOCELL GNK sensor

It appears that Samsung has finally revealed the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro's primary camera sensors, the name of which Google has elected against revealing. Previously, both devices were suspected of utilising customised ISOCELL GNV or ISOCELL GN1 sensors. While Google did not confirm this, it claimed that the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro capture 21% more light than their predecessors, thus eliminating the ISOCELL GN1 as a possible candidate.

As the likes of GSMArena and 9to5Google have observed, Samsung's new ISOCELL GNK sensor perfectly matches the specifications listed on Google's website. In other words, the ISOCELL GNK outputs at 50 MP with a 1/1.3-inch optical format and 1.2 μm-wide pixels. Crucially, the sensor also supports Staggered HDR, a feature that the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro offer but is lacking in the ISOCELL GN1.

Moreover, the ISOCELL GNK integrates Smart ISO Pro, a more advanced version of the Smart ISO technology integrated within the ISOCELL GN1. Similarly, the former supports more RAW formats than the latter, with 12-bit and 14-bit formats offered as well as 8-bit and 10-bit. Ultimately, it seems unlikely that Google will ever confirm which sensors it has included in the Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro. However, it seems probable that their new sensor is the ISOCELL GNK rather than a customised ISOCELL GN1 or GNV.

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