The Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are likely to be two of the best Android phones of 2023, but as we continue to race towards their expected October debut, we have yet to hear anything official about them. While we did expect to see some sort of teaser at Google I/O 2023, that didn’t happen. Unlike its predecessors, the Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro — which earned an early announcement at I/O 2022 — these phones remain a mystery. Unless you follow the rumor mill, that is, where we’re learning more about the Pixel 8 series all the time.
The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro saw Google take the lessons it learned from its first-gen Tensor-powered devices and offer a well-rounded package at affordable prices that undercut the competition. But with those phones now established as the rulers of the smartphone world, it’s time to look at what’s on the horizon for the Pixel series. No matter how much we love last year’s flagships, there’s always room for improvement. It’s still early for lots of Pixel 8 details, but we know some key details about Google’s next mainline phones.
Google’s Pixel 8 won’t shake up its design — but it can read your temperature
This year’s phones have two codenames: Husky and Shiba. Based on leaked display information for both devices, Husky seems to be the Pixel 8 Pro, with a 2822x1344p resolution, while the smaller Pixel 8 — Shiba — sports a 2268x1080p resolution. Both are reduced from the current Pixel 7 models, suggesting some minor — but nonetheless welcome — improvements to Google’s design chops.
The Pixel 8 is smaller than its predecessor, coming in at 150.5 x 70.8 x 8.9mm, or 12mm in thickness with the camera array included. That’s down from the Pixel 7’s footprint, which measured 155.6 x 73.2 x 8.7 mm. At 6.17″, the screen is just a bit smaller than the 6.3″ panel on the Pixel 7, putting it within spitting distance of Samsung’s smallest Galaxy S23.
