Google Pixel

Google is still months away from releasing the Pixel 8a. Nonetheless, official wallpapers of Google's next mid-range smartphone have already appeared online, which are likely to be Pixel 8a exclusives.

An increasing number of Pixel 8 Pro units are experiencing noticeable bulges in their AMOLED panels after a few weeks of use. Google has now commented on the issue, although it has dismissed any claims that it affects device usage.

CheckMag Notebookcheck has reported on numerous fantastic deals this past week. However, these three have stood out, and they are still available at discounted prices. The LG G3 Series OLED TV delivers 65-inch viewing delight, while gamers can check out the powerful Lenovo Legion Pro 5i laptop with RTX 4070 dGPU onboard and smartphone fans should look at Google’s Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro price cuts.

Google introduced the Tensor series of chips with the Pixel 6 series in 2021. It was meant to usher in a range of chips specially tailored by Google to keep up with its class-leading AI-based software features. Just three Tensor chips in, and many of Google’s new AI features need to be off-loaded to the cloud for processing.

Google has pushed a new beta build to Pixel devices, which is available for the Pixel 5a onwards. Jumping right ahead to Android 14 QPR2 Beta 1, Google has implicitly confirmed that a new stable quarterly update will soon arrive for eligible Pixel devices.

Set to begin at 3:30 AM ET on November 16 in the US, this year's Black Friday deals on the Google Store will push down the tech giant's mobile flagship devices by up to US$400 (Pixel Fold). The Pixel 8 will get a US$150 price cut as well, and its Pro sibling will be dropping by a generous US$200.

Google is taking the next step towards a password-free future with the Titan Security Key, which can authenticate login processes using passkeys stored on it by simply plugging it into the USB port of a computer or connecting it wirelessly to a smartphone via NFC.

Just four weeks after its launch, the Google Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel 8 are already receiving steep discounts in Australia. While it is not unusual for Google to discount its new Pixels over the Black Friday sales period, the discounts have hit early and are much larger than we’ve typically seen this early into a launch cycle.

What was once considered "big" in smartphone terms is now the norm in the industry. But one feature seems to be tied specificially to the size of the screen. If you don't like big phones, don't expect to be on the cutting edge of photography. Long zoom cameras are reserved for those with deep pockets and big hands only.

Many years of updates, a bright OLED display, a thick battery, stereo speakers, an extensive camera setup, and much more: this is the Pixel 8 Pro. But behind many of the great features also hide some details that could be dealbreakers for some.

Samsung has outlined full specifications for the ISOCELL GNK, a new 50 MP sensor that builds on the ISOCELL GN1 and GNV. Seemingly, the ISOCELL GNK underpins the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro's primary cameras, rather than customised ISOCELL GN1 or GNV sensors.

The Pixel 8 has now been subjected to DxOMark's usual set of camera analyses. Despite having technically worse cameras than many of its competitors, it still manages to outperform the likes of the Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, along with last year's Pixel 7 Pro.

Google has started bringing all supported Pixel devices onto its November 2023 update, including the Pixel 4a (5G) and Pixel 5. Rolling out as UP1A.231105 and UD1A.231105, the update contains half a dozen bug fixes, including one specific to the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.

With a top price of US$608.99, reached on August 1, 2023, the Google Pixel 6 with 128 GB is now down to an all-time low of US$$359.84. The previous bottom price was US$399, recorded by Camelcamelcamel on January 26, 2023. The current figure is the result of a 40% discount applied to Amazon's US$599 list price.

Google is now rolling out Android 14 QPR1 Beta 2.2, roughly a month before the update's expected stable release. Available to download now as an OTA or a full factory image, Beta 2.2 brings nearly three dozen improvements to Pixel smartphones from the Pixel 5a onwards.

Google has already released the Pixel Watch 2 back in October. While it brings many improvements, the new watch isn't a major refresh. That means the Google Pixel Watch (1st Gen) is still a good purchase, especially with this 43% discount on Amazon.

2025’s Tensor G5 SoC that may debut in the Pixel 10 devices is reportedly being entirely developed by Google. The report comes to us courtesy of @OreXda on Twitter. The leaker also claims that the Tensor G4 might also use a Google-made CPU but Samsung isn’t completely out of the picture.

At best, many reviews of the Pixel 8 Pro don’t distinguish between when AI tasks are performed on device by the Tensor G3 and when they are off-loaded to Google Cloud for processing. At worst, some assume that all of the AI models are being processed by the Tensor G3, which is far from ideal for consumers seeking out accurate advice on what phone to buy.

The Google Pixel Tablet will soon to become an even more useful smart home control center, as new clues in the code of the Google app point to an innovative "Look and Talk" feature, as well as gesture control, which allows the Pixel Tablet to be operated via hand gestures without touching it.

Notebookcheck has received written confirmation from Google that it deliberately blocked the installation of benchmarks on its Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro devices during the review embargo period. It confirms our earlier report on the issue while raising questions about the company’s practices.

Geekbench 6 founder John Poole has responded to the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro benchmarking controversy. In exclusive comments obtained by Notebookcheck, Poole says Primate Labs is unaware of any issues with compatibility that might have otherwise resulted in the app from being made unavailable to reviewers.

Anyone using a Google Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro can customize the look of the smartphone in numerous ways thanks to the Casetify Impact case. Casetify not only promises protection for Google's new flagships, but above all offers a gigantic selection of more than 900 designs.

The Google Pixel 8 Pro may have one of the best camera systems around, but it cannot match the might of some of its competitors. In a reversal of last year, Google's latest flagship falls short of its Apple and Huawei equivalents, with there being a small gap between it and its predecessor this year, too.

Popular YouTuber @Mrwhosetheboss has singled out the Google Tensor G3 as a major failing of the Pixel 8 Pro. According to the YouTuber, all of the new generative AI features found on the Pixel 8 Pro cannot be processed onboard the device, but need to be off-loaded to the cloud for processing, despite Google pitching the device as being “AI-first.”

Google has now released Wear OS 4 for the first Pixel Watch. Not only does the new version of Wear OS finally add a backup and restore feature, but it also should improve battery life and performance through a reworked watch face format. Unfortunately, Google has locked several software features to the Pixel Watch 2, including new watch faces.

In a Reddit AMA, Android’s VP of Engineering has just confirmed that the new Pixel 8 phones will soon support lossless audio output over USB. OS-level support was already added to Android 14, but a future software update will unlock the ability in the latest Pixel phones. In addition, app developers will have to enable the use of the API on their end.

The first-generation Google Pixel Watch now needs significantly longer for a full recharge than it did at launch. According to Google, this particular specification (recharging time) had to be reevaluated after a firmware update. Due to this change, the Pixel Watch 2 now recharges significantly faster than the predecessor.

Google has lifted the block it placed on the ability for users to freely install benchmarking apps on its Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro smartphones. The block had been in place during the review embargo period but extended past the on sale period where customers purchasing the devices couldn’t install benchmarks on their new Pixels either.

Keeping with its predecessors, the Google Pixel 8 Pro seemingly does not aspire to greater performance heights. The new Google flagship phone fails to match its competitors in the GPU performance department, effectively only delivering graphical prowess on par with flagship chipsets released two years ago.

The Pixel 8 Pro's Tensor G3 averaged an average of 33.5 FPS in Genshin Impact at High Settings. The phone also heats up a lot, with its surface temperature hovering at around 42 degrees Celcius.

Compared to the leaks from the last few weeks before the launch of the Pixel 8, some features did not make it into the final version of Android 14 or into the new Google apps. For example, the desktop mode in the style of Samsung's DeX stands out, but a camera feature heavily advertised by Samsung is only likely to appear in the Pixel 9 in 2024.

Google has taken the extraordinary step to block reviewers from being able to download popular chip testing benchmarks directly through its Play Store, surprising reviewers of its latest Pixel 8 series smartphones. Incredibly, the company has extended this block to include all new customers of its Pixel 8 phones following the launch, in attempt to suppress the widespread distribution of results.

The Google Pixel 8 Pro has now been subjected to a series of torture tests. Unlike the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Pixel 7 Pro before it, the Pixel 8 Pro manages to survive being bent, scratched and burnt without too much trouble.

The first photos shot using Google's new Ultra HDR image format have been published online. Available to try out for the first time in Android 14 with the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, the Ultra HDR image format adds an HDR gain map to a standard JPG image, which creates problems with incompatible systems for now.

A teardown video of the Pixel 8 has highlighted the internal change that Google has made from the Pixel 7. Unfortunately, this year's smaller Pixel remains difficult to repair and appears to have a weaker cooling solution than the Pixel 8 Pro.

@OnLeaks has now shared renders of the Pixel 8a, likely Google's final member of the Pixel 8 series. Corroborating previous leaks, the Pixel 8a has a more curved design than the Pixel 7a and one that resembles the Pixel 8.

A switch to Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 is just one of the ways that Google is attempting to distinguish the Pixel 8 Pro from last year's Pixel 7 Pro. Initial drop and scratch tests suggest that the upgrade to the stronger glass type has paid off, just days before Google begins shipping Pixel 8 Pro pre-orders.

Google may have brought manual camera controls to its stock camera app, but it limits their usage to just the Pixel 8 Pro. It turns out that this is nothing more than a software restriction, with the Pixel 6 Pro and Pixel 7 Pro also shown to be capable of offering manual ISO, shutter speed and focus options within the latest version of the Google Camera app.

Concerns have been raised about the ability of the Pixel 8 Pro to manage heat following the first video teardown of the device to hit the net. As with the Pixel 7 Pro, the Pixel 8 Pro does not have a vapor chamber cooling system as found on devices like the Galaxy S23 Ultra among Android flagship phones, but relies on graphite and copper to keep things cool.

CASETiFY has partnered with Nothing to recreate the latter's signature Glyph lighting system on some of the former's latest cases. However, they are not for the Phone (2), or even the Phone (1), but for the newest top-end iPhone instead. The cases debut alongside the inaugural Nothing x CASETiFY Mini Pouch, which is for the brand's Ear (2) TWS earbuds in that instance.

Google has now confirmed that the Pixel Watch will receive Wear OS 4 before the year is out. Unfortunately, new smartphone mirroring options appear to be Pixel Watch 2 exclusives for one reason or another.

XDA Developers has determined that the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro both contain upgraded primary camera sensors. Unfortunately, it appears that the pair have missed out on the rumoured ISOCELL GN2. Instead, Google may be using the same 50 MP camera found in last year's Vivo X80 Pro.

Google is still a few days away from fulfilling initial Pixel 8 Pro pre-orders. Nonetheless, YouTuber PBKreviews has already shown what the new flagship's cameras are capable of at 10x, 30x and when shooting videos in daylight or at night.

Google has become the first Android OEM to offer Android 14 across its entire product stack. Android 14 should be available to download now globally, starting with the Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5. The release of stable Android 14 builds coincides with the October 2023 Feature Drop, which is also rolling out.

The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro have landed and bring many new features largely delivered through AI software algorithms that are Google’s speciality. The Tensor G3, however, features pretty standard Arm-based architecture across the CPU and GPU, but the early testing isn’t promising in terms of either performance or efficiency with Samsung's nodes once again under scrutiny.

New details about the Pixel Watch 2 have emerged, following hands-on demos with Google's latest smartwatch. Surprisingly, the Pixel Watch 2 is compatible with existing Fitbit chargers, but not the original Pixel Watch charger. This year's Pixel Watch adds inertial scrolling too, a welcome improvement from the first model.

Google may have now revealed the Pixel 8 Pro, but it is still remaining quiet about the smartphone's temperature sensor. Nonetheless, the likes of 9to5Google and MKBHD have offered some insights, including a demonstration of Google's new Thermometer app.

Google is bringing improved face unlock support to its Pixel smartphones, starting with the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. While the pair lack the advanced hardware of the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, the new Tensor G3 chipset apparently has the capabilities necessary to open Android's BiometricPrompt API to their front-facing cameras.