The Pixels aren't perfect
My take on Google's new phone offerings
Another #MadeByGoogle event has come and gone and as a self-proclaimed Google/Android nerd, I have some opinions.
Let me just start off by saying that I have pre-ordered the Pixel 8 Pro in the lovely Bay blue color. But I'm not super confident in that situation.
For those who haven't been following along, Google announced its latest flagship phones along with a slew of other new features and peripherals this week. Aside from the phones, we have a new Pixel Watch, some updates to the Pixel Buds Pro earbuds and tons of software updates to make all of your Google toys smarter and more AI-filled.
The Phones
The two phones that were announced are the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. I absolutely hate that every piece of tech needs to include a "Pro", "Ultra", or "Max" qualifier these days. How amazing would it be if Google just decided that one phone would be called Raptor and the other T-Rex or something fun like that? I know they often use fun code names for products, but then when they release to the masses they get lazy with numbers and "pros". Anyway, I digress.
I've written before about how I typically prefer smaller phones that don't feel so unwieldy in the hand. The past few years I've enjoyed using the Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 rather than their super-sized counterparts. And yet, this year Google convinced me to go with the bigger phone. Why is that? What did they do to make me switch?
The Differences
Well, let's look at some of the differences between these two phones. The obvious one is the size. The smaller Pixel 8 offers a adequate 6.2 inch screen. The Pro model bumps up to a 6.7 inch screen. If that was the only difference, I would certainly choose the smaller phone. But then things get tricky. That larger screen is brighter at 2400 nits making it one of the brightest smartphone screens ever created. And as someone who tries to be outdoors as much as humanly possible, I want a phone that I can read easily in direct sunlight.
Aside from the screen, Google has managed to beef up the features on the larger phone. Yes, the larger screen gets you a bigger battery which is nice. And the Pixel 8 Pro comes with some upgraded cameras as well. While the main shooters are identical, the Pro packs an additional 48-megapixel ultra-wide camera, plus a 48-megapixel telephoto camera. I never consider myself to be a super smartphone camera enthusiast but these seem like worthwhile upgrades. The list of camera differences goes on and on, but I'll omit the nerdy details. If you want better cameras, you need the bigger phone.
Then there are some other little things. The Pixel 8 Pro has a sweet looking matte glass on the back instead of the standard Pixel 8's shiny backside. Does anyone like shiny glass? It attracts fingerprints and just generally looks worse than an matte finish. It may sound like a small difference (and yes plenty of people will use a case anyway) but I love the look of the matte glass.
Fun things and colors!
What else is different? You'll get 12GB of RAM standard with the Pro model but only 8GB if you opt for the standard Pixel. The Pro model also comes with a newer version of The Gorilla Glass Victus treatment which should make it less susceptible to cracks and breaks when dropped.
Oh, and if you want a fun little sensor on the back of your phone that can tell you the temperature of some things, the Pixel 8 Pro is your only option. Honestly, what is the point of this sensor? Apparently, the FDA won't let Google say you can use it to take the body temperature of a human, but you can use it to see how hot your coffee is. Cool??? Maybe there will be more to this feature in the future, who knows?
Lastly, let's talk about colors. Google has changed up their color offerings each of the last few Pixel release cycles. Some sort of black is usually the only constant color, with other hues changing each year. This year we basically have black, gray, and pink for the Pixel 8 and black, whiteish, and blue for the Pixel 8 Pro. Google likes to use their cute color names, but that's basically it. So if you want a blue phone (which I did) I had to go with the Pro model. The hazel gray/greenish color in the Pixel 8 was my second option but all of the other perks of the Pro won out for me.
Oh, and I'd be remiss not to mention Google's enticing pre-order deals. When purchasing the Pixel 8 Pro, they'll throw in a free pair of the newly updated Pixel Buds Pro. They even have two new colors to match the new shades of phones. But if you purchase the Pixel 8 Pro, you can ge a free Pixel Watch 2 instead. It may sound silly, but this tactic worked on me. I'd much rather have the watch than the earbuds so this deal helped pushed me over the edge in choosing the Pixel 8 Pro. Well played, Google.
Conclusion
Do I wish Google just made a phone in every color and every size? Yes, that would be great. Would it be amazing to have a 6.2 inch or smaller phone that also included every extra camera, temperature sensor, and other bell and whistle? Yes, I'd pay top dollar for the smaller form factor in an instant! In fact, I wish we could go back to the days where Motorola let people fully customize almost every aspect of their phone in the pre-order process! Let me create my own crazy color combos!
But alas, this is another example of Google calling the shots and we as consumers just have to roll with things. It's obvious that Pixel doesn't have as large of a share of the market as the iPhone so they may be limited with some of the options they can offer. And so here I am in another October phone pre-order period feeling oddly dissatisfied. I hope the Pixel 8 Pro will be great, but I still feel like the perfect pixel phone hasn't yet been offered by Google.
I'll be sure to check back in once I've received the device to give a more thorough take on it. Anyone else out there join in on the pre-order fun?
Thanks for reading, I’ll see you next week!
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