Google Pixel 8 Event: Everything You Need to Know About the New Phones and Watch

Google has finally unveiled its latest flagship devices, the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, along with the updated Pixel Watch 2, at its Made by Google event in New York City on October 4th. The event was streamed live on YouTube and Google’s website, where millions of fans tuned in to see what the tech giant had to offer. If you missed the event or want to catch up on all the details, here is a summary of everything Google announced.

Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro: The Most Advanced Pixel Cameras Yet

The main attraction of the event was the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, Google’s new premium smartphones that feature “the most advanced Pixel cameras yet and Google AI to help you do more, even faster.” The phones have a sleek design with a metal frame and a glass back that comes in four colors: black, white, green, and pink. The phones also have a hole-punch display with minimal bezels and an in-screen fingerprint sensor.

The Pixel 8 Pro has a 6.7-inch OLED screen with a resolution of 1,344 x 2,992 pixels and a peak brightness of 1,600 nits. The screen supports a variable refresh rate of up to 120Hz, which means it can adjust automatically depending on the content you’re viewing. The Pixel 8 has a slightly smaller 6.17-inch OLED screen with a resolution of 1,080 x 2,400 pixels and a peak brightness of 1,400 nits. The screen also supports a 120Hz refresh rate.

The cameras are where the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro really shine. The phones have a triple rear camera setup that consists of a main 50-megapixel sensor with optical image stabilization (OIS), an ultra-wide 12-megapixel sensor with a 114-degree field of view, and a telephoto 48-megapixel sensor with OIS and 4x optical zoom. The phones also have a laser autofocus system and an LED flash. The front-facing camera is an 11.1-megapixel sensor with an 84-degree field of view.

The cameras are powered by Google’s Tensor G3 processor, which is the company’s latest in-house chip that promises faster performance, better AI capabilities, and improved security. The processor also enables some new features for the cameras, such as Magic Eraser, which lets you remove unwanted objects from your photos with a tap; Live Translate, which lets you translate text and speech in real time across different languages; and Face Unblur, which lets you fix blurry faces in your photos.

The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro also come with some other features that make them stand out from the crowd, such as wireless charging, water resistance, stereo speakers, dual SIM support, Wi-Fi 7 connectivity, and support for hardware-based ray tracing. The phones run on Android 13 out of the box, which is the latest version of Google’s operating system that offers some new features and improvements as well.

The Pixel 8 starts at $699 for the base model with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, while the Pixel 8 Pro starts at $899 for the base model with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. You can also opt for more storage options up to 512GB for both phones. The phones are available for pre-order now on Google’s website and will start shipping on October 18th.

Pixel Watch 2: A Smartwatch That Can Sense Your Stress

The other device that Google announced at the event was the Pixel Watch 2, which is the second generation of its smartwatch that runs on Wear OS. The watch has a circular design with a rotating crown and two buttons on the right side. The watch comes in two sizes: a smaller one with a 1.28-inch AMOLED screen and a larger one with a 1.39-inch AMOLED screen. Both screens have a resolution of 416 x 416 pixels and support always-on display.

The watch has a stainless steel case that comes in three colors: black, silver, and gold. The watch also has interchangeable bands that come in various materials and colors. The watch is water-resistant up to 5 ATM and has wireless charging support.

The watch has an updated sensor array that includes a heart rate monitor, an SpO2 sensor, an ECG sensor, a GPS tracker, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a barometer, an ambient light sensor, and a microphone. The watch also has some features that are carried over from the Fitbit Sense 2, which is another smartwatch that Google owns.

One of these features is Body Responses, which is supposed to detect when you’re stressed by measuring your skin temperature, heart rate variability, and electrodermal activity. The watch can then give you suggestions on how to relax, such as breathing exercises, meditation, or music. Another feature is Safety Check, which is a feature that can automatically alert your emergency contacts if the watch detects that you’re in danger, such as a fall, a crash, or a panic attack.

The watch also has some other features that make it a useful companion for your daily life, such as Google Assistant, Google Pay, Google Maps, Google Fit, Google Photos, and Google Messages. The watch can also sync with your Pixel phone and show you notifications, calls, texts, and emails. The watch can also control your smart home devices and play music from various streaming services.

The watch runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100+ platform, which is a fast and efficient processor that promises better battery life and performance. The watch has 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage. The watch also supports Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, and LTE connectivity.

The Pixel Watch 2 starts at $299 for the smaller size and $329 for the larger size. You can also choose from different band options that cost extra. The watch is available for pre-order now on Google’s website and will start shipping on October 25th.

Conclusion

Google has delivered some impressive devices at its Pixel 8 event that showcase its innovation and vision for the future of technology. The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are powerful smartphones that have amazing cameras and AI features that can help you capture and create stunning photos and videos. The Pixel Watch 2 is a smartwatch that can help you monitor and improve your health and wellness by sensing your stress levels and giving you tips on how to cope. If you’re looking for some new gadgets to upgrade your life, you might want to check out what Google has to offer.