We’re still a long way from seeing the next generation of Pixel phones, as Google announced the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro less than a year ago. However, rumors are already starting to surface as to what we might see when the 8-series models arrive.
This is what we know so far. As a bonus, we’ve included a wish list of what we’d like to see on the new Google Pixel 8 and 8 Pro.
When will the Google Pixel 8 go on sale?
There is no confirmation of the official launch date of the Pixel 8 models at the moment, but all the Pixel flagships so far have launched in October. As Google has been pretty consistent in its month of revealing new Pixels, we find it pretty safe to say that we expect the Pixel 8 series to make its debut in October 2023.
That’s also pretty much what a Pixel product roadmap obtained by the Android Authority suggests, which claims the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro will launch “later in 2023.”
How much will the Google Pixel 8 cost?
As you can imagine, Google hasn’t said anything yet about the possible pricing that will accompany the 8 series devices (this probably won’t happen until Google makes its official launch). However, we can use the latest models as a guide to know how much you will have to save. These were the prices:
- Google Pixel 7 : €649
- Google Pixel 7 Pro : €899
- Google Pixel 6 : €649
- Google Pixel 6 Pro : €899
This shows that Google has been pretty firm, not just on release dates, but also when it comes to pricing. If that continues in 2023, and we think there’s a good chance it does, then the Pixel 8 should be €649 and the Pixel 8 Pro €899.
What specifications will the Google Pixel 8 have?
Obviously, with the Pixel 8’s release date so far away, there isn’t much to go on in the way of new components, designs, or features. However, there are some rumors, and the main one is focused on the chipsets that will be used in the next models.
Design
The most recent and detailed leak so far comes from OnLeaks (via Smartprix ), which has exclusively shown the design of the Pixel 8 Pro from all angles, showing a similar but modified design compared to its predecessor. The main change is the move from a curved screen to a flat one, which will supposedly be 6.52 inches, smaller than the 7 Pro’s 6.7-inch screen.
The website also reports that the phone will measure 162.6×76.5×8.7mm (12mm with camera bar) and is notable that the camera module now has a single oval for all cameras, while the 7 Pro has a separate section for the telephoto lens.
The new addition below the flash is currently unknown and could be a fourth camera as a macro lens or it could just as well be where the autofocus and other minor sensors will live.
It’s a similar story with the regular Pixel 8 with OnLeaks partnering with MySmartPrice this time around. The phone features fewer changes than the Pro model, with a design almost identical to the Pixel 7.
The phone will be smaller, at 150.5 x 70.8 x 8.9mm, but the biggest news – or should we say smaller – is that the screen will drop from 6.3 inches to 5.8 inches.
Specifications
The Dutch website GalaxyClub has reported that work on the third generation of Google’s Tensor chipset is already well advanced, which means it should accompany the launch of the Pixel 8. According to this article, Samsung will once again be the manufacturer, with a chip bearing the code S5P9865 already appearing on test boards . This follows the naming sequence used with the previous Tensor 1 and 2 processors, respectively numbered S5P9845 and S5P9855.
The Tensor 2 in the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro has already proven to be more energy efficient and powerful than the previous generation, so expect the third iteration to make things even better when it arrives.
WinFuture has found more concrete information on the two phones after a dive into what it calls “publicly available code sources.” The site found code names for two phones: ‘Shiba’ and ‘Husky’. Google has used animal names before for Pixel flagships – Cheetah and Panther for the Pixel 7 series – so it seems likely that this refers to the Pixel 8 phones.
According to the code, both phones will carry a chipset called “Zuma” that uses the same modem as the Tensor 2, another hint that we are looking at the next Pixel. Both phones also run Android 14, which is no surprise.
Surprisingly, both phones feature 12GB of RAM, and the screen resolution is also high: 2268×1080 for Shiba and 2822×1344 for Husky, suggesting that the latter phone is the Pro model.
Both of these codenames also appear in the aforementioned Pixel product roadmap, but interestingly with the added note that while the Pro (Husky) will stay roughly the same size, apparently the regular 8 (Shiba) will have a “smaller screen and smaller overall form factor”, likely a welcome change for many who have longed for the more compact Pixel phones of yesteryear.
We’re so far from the launch that these specs are unlikely to be final, and it’s equally possible that these two devices are designed for internal testing and don’t reflect the final Pixel 8 specs at all, but they do at least give us a hint of what to expect.
Since the Pixel’s cameras have always been so good, there’s a juicy rumor about the Pixel 8’s cameras unearthed by developer Kuba Wojciechowski. They’ve posted source code for the Pixel’s camera app that suggests the next phone could use something called staggered HDR:
Wish list of what we’d like to see on the Google Pixel 8
We were very impressed with the 2022 version, but still, we also have a wish list of what we’d like to see in the next Google Pixel 8 family.
120 Hz refresh rate on all models
This is quite simple nowadays. With so many mid-range Android phones using 120Hz refresh rates for smoother scrolling, it makes sense that both the Pro and standard Pixel 8 have this capability. It’s already present in the Pixel Pro 7 and Pixel Pro 6, but we’d like to see the Pixel 7’s 90Hz rate jump when its replacement arrives.
faster charging speed
In our reviews of the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, the main complaint was slow reload times. In an age where phones can go from 0% to 100% in half an hour, the Pixels seem slower by comparison. So we think it’s important that Google fix this issue on the Pixel 8.
improved facial recognition
While the Pixel 7 Pro impressed us with its new facial recognition unlock feature, the Pixel 7 still needs more time in the oven. Let’s hope the year between releases makes the Pixel 8 have a better showing.
A lighter mobile
OK. We’re not putting the Pixel 7 Pro to shame, but at 162.9 x 76.6 x 8.9mm and 212g it could be described as big-boned. We don’t know, maybe it’s a thyroid issue, but for the Pixel 8 Pro we’d love to see a slimmer chassis. It’s true that most powerful phones are pretty beefy these days, but for the sake of our wrists we can only pray for lighter, more form-fitting designs in 2023.
To see which phones the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro will have to contend with, check out our roundups of the best smartphones and the best smartphones coming in 2023.