Could the Google Pixel 8 range be the smartest of the smartphones?

Google is known for search, but their hardware credentials now span smart speakers, home security and so much more, including the humble smartphone. But this is not a new thing – the first Google Pixel phone was released seven years ago in 2016, but even before that the "Nexus" phones were essentially Google's thing and they were around in 2010.

All of that makes the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro a well-credentialed offering from not just one of the world's biggest tech companies, but from the company that makes the operating system that powers the majority of smartphones in the world – Android.

It's always been the case that you get a Google Pixel to see what Android should be like. Today, I think, we're getting to the stage where Google is now pushing features and ideas that they see as being fundamental to the smartphone experience and likely will be "borrowed" by other brands.

Take Magic Erase, a feature Google introduced a couple of years ago to show the smarts of a smartphone removing things from photos.

In 2023, the Google Pixel 8 lineup feels to me like it takes Magic Erase and expands vastly across the device to give you something utterly powerful but also with such compelling software features you have to check it out.

There are two devices, the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. The Pro is a 6.7-inch screen smartphone while the standard 8 is a 6.2-inch screen. It's not a huge difference but in hand, it is vastly noticeable and for those of us who prefer a smaller screen, the Pixel 8 is a sensational device to hold.

Interestingly, like Apple is doing with their iPhone and iPhone Pro range, there's becoming a clear difference between the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro over and above the basic size and screen choices.

Pixel 8 Pro does have the same Google Tensor processor on board, but it has more RAM and more storage on board. The display on the Pro has the capability to go down to 1Hz, offering better potential for battery efficiency, and the camera is far superior to the Pro model.

Both models feature a 50MP camera which in our testing is always outstanding. Google has somehow done so much with so little over the years in the Pixel range, but now they aren't just relying on software, they have the hardware to match.

While they both have a 50MP camera, the Pro bumps up the game in a big way with dual 48MP cameras for the ultrawide and telephoto zoom lenses.

That telephoto zoom matches Apple's 5x optical in the iPhone 15 Pro Max, while it also offers a hybrid 30x zoom, which while it's not amazing, is still a pretty awesome output for a computer-enhanced image. The standard Pixel 8 offers up to 12x in their hybrid zoom mode.

Something I've never seen on a smartphone before though, a temperature sensor. No, your iPhone doesn't know the temperature on its own – that "current temp" is just what the Bureau of Meteorology is feeding it.

The Google Pixel 8 Pro does though. You can use the phone to measure the temperature of water or any surface. There's potential for this to be used in healthcare applications by measuring your body temperature, but that needs approval from the TGA in Australia so we'll wait and see how that pans out.

While many people bemoan the battery life of their devices, and of course we all wish they could do more, I found in the very limited time I've been using the Pixel 8, and I've used primarily the Pixel 8 Pro, that it's easily a full-day phone. That is to say, I didn't need to charge in the daytime, I didn't reach for a battery saver mode, but at the end of the day, I was going to bed and putting it on charge with 20-25 per cent battery life.

There are some brands in the market offering some epic fast charging. You won't see that here, but you do get up to 23W Wireless from the Pro and 18W on the Pixel 8.

When it comes to the one thing we all use most on our phones, the camera, it's quite possible that Google has the best offering in the market.

And I know that's a big call. The reason I say this is the consistently great offering across the board, from the optical zoom options to the performance in low light, bright light, nighttime, and even shooting the stars, the Google Pixel does not disappoint.

Will it outrank Samsung or Apple when the real photo boffins put them head to head? Perhaps not, but I think for a consumer offering it's hard to suggest you'll find a better all-round camera than on the Google Pixel, in particular the Pro of course.

One of the reasons I say that is the work that Google is putting into its software.

Take a great photo, but it's blurry – let me help you with that.

Did you snap six photos of your three kids and in NONE of them are they all smiling? You can now take the face from one and use it in another so their eyes are open and their pearly whites are showing. Google calls this "Best Take" – and it's the best feature of smartphones in 2023.

That Magic Erase is enhanced with AI to replace pixels, and, you can even move things around within a photo. It's wild!

For more avid photographers, you can choose the RAW + JPG mode to ensure you've got the ability to jump into Lightroom with your pics or share them on socials.

All of that is to say this. Suppose you're worried that a "Google" phone won't do what your Apple or Samsung does. Don't – it's quite possible it does it better.

And, the big reason I think the Pixel may be the phone of choice is seven years of software updates from Google.

That means in seven years you'll get Android 20 or 21 – whichever falls into that window. Not even Apple – renowned for its long-term device support – is offering that.

The phone won't last seven years, you say? Sure, phones age, but in three years, when you upgrade, get the battery on your Google Pixel 8 replaced and pass it on to the next generation of users.

Google Pixel 8 is hard to fault and easy to recommend.

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