The Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are expected to arrive later this fall, and despite being months away from their release date, we’re already learning a lot about them. Most recently, a new report has shed some light on various specs for the two phones — and it looks promising.
Over the weekend, Android Authority shared a few exclusive details about the Pixel 8 family, citing a “source inside Google” from which they came from. There’s plenty to dig through here, but the most interesting has to do with the reported battery life and charging upgrades.
Recommended Videos
Upgrades to battery life and charging
Joe Maring/Digital Trends
According to Android Authority, the Pixel 8 will feature a 4,485mAh battery — a 215mAh increase compared to the 4,270mAh battery inside of the Google Pixel 7. Similarly, the Pixel 8 Pro is reported to get a 4,950mAh battery as an upgrade to the Pixel 7 Pro‘s 4,926mAh cell — a much more modest 24mAh increase.
Although the Pixel 8 Pro’s battery increase is hard to get too excited about, it is nice to see Google making meaningful upgrades to the base Pixel 8. And assuming the rumored Tensor G3 chip also has better power consumption than Tensor G2, both phones should benefit from increased battery life in that regard. The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro have never been battery champs, so larger batteries of any size will be greatly appreciated.
Additionally, it looks like Google’s also giving us slightly faster charging speeds. Coming from the modest 20W and 23W wired charging speeds of the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, respectively, the Pixel 8 is expected to offer 24W charging while the Pixel 8 Pro gets 27W speeds.
Is an increase of 4W for both phones a huge change? Not really. Google still has lots of room to improve here, especially when the Galaxy S23 Ultra offers up to 45W and the OnePlus 11 charges at 80W. But, similar to the battery changes, any improvements to the charging situation are welcome to see. The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are among the slowest-charging smartphones for their respective prices, so I’m happy to see upgrades here — even if they aren’t as meaningful as I would have hoped.
In addition to the battery and charging upgrades, the Android Authority report goes on to mention a few other Pixel 8 tidbits. The publication claims that both the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro will have Wi-Fi 7 support. Google added a UWB (ultra-wideband) chip to the Pixel 7 Pro last year, and it’s coming to the Pixel 8 Pro once again — but not to the regular Pixel 8.
Finally, the report indicates that the Pixel 8 series will be available in a few countries that the Pixel 7 was never offered in — including Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, and Portugal.
There’s still plenty we don’t know about the Pixel 8 series, but the battery and charging upgrades have me a lot more interested than whatever Google’s doing with the Pixel 8 Pro’s bizarre temperature sensor. Battery life and slow charging were two of the biggest areas Google dropped the ball last year, and while the specifics of the upgrades aren’t everything I was hoping for, it’s good to see Google’s listening — even if just a little bit.
Google Pixel 9: news, rumored price, release date, and more
The Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are Google's latest and most powerful devices, but it won't be that way for long. Rumors of the Google Pixel 8a mean this pair of flagships will be supplanted as the latest Google phones fairly soon — but they'll be able to hold on to the title of "most powerful" for a little while longer. The Google Pixel 9 range, while definitely on the way, isn't due to arrive any time soon.
But when it does, it's sure to be a trio of blockbusters. Leaks for the Pixel 9 family have been trickling in at a steady pace, and it seems like Google is planning on making some big changes this time around. If leaks are correct, we expect a new look and some exciting new AI features that go beyond what we've seen before.
The OnePlus 12 is OnePlus' latest smartphone, and it's a true return to form for the "flagship killer." It's big and beautiful, with a distinctive design that leans away from the default "big glass slab" you might be tiring of. It's powerful, too, thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, two-day battery life, and some of the fastest charging speeds you'll find on a phone on the U.S. market. It's easily one of the best phones you can buy, with a starting price of $800.
But is it the best? It might not be, depending on what you're actually looking for. There are a number of smartphones with similar levels of power, beauty, and features — and varying reasons why you'd pick them over OnePlus' current flagship.
Did you buy a Google Pixel 8a? These are the first 9 things you need to do
Ahead of Google I/O 2024, Google revealed the Google Pixel 8a, and it’s turning out to be one of the best phone values in a while. It boasts a beautiful OLED display that now sports a 120Hz refresh rate, the Tensor G3 chip, Gemini Nano, a larger battery, wireless charging, and a refreshed design with some fun new colors. In short, there's a lot to dig into.
There is definitely a lot to like about the Google Pixel 8a, and as such, we don't blame you if you aren't sure where to start. If you just picked one up, then make sure you do these things first!
Turn on Smooth Display
