While the Android phone spotlight has been on Samsung for the past couple of weeks following the much-anticipated launch of the Galaxy S24 series phones, it looks like the public eye (or the Android enthusiast eye, if you will) has once again turned towards Google, following some new developments on the company’s Pixel phone brand. There’s a bit of stuff to talk about, which we’ve nicely summed up for you folks below – let’s check it out!
Pixel 8 in Mint; The Thermometer We Need
First up is google’s newly-launched “Mint” colourway for the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro, which adds a nice and refreshing colour option for buyers who are interested in grabbing a smartphone with a not-so-common colour. One caveat however is that the Mint version (at least at the moment) is only available in a 128GB storage configuration, exclusively through Google’s online store. With that being said, it is a nice variation and gives buyers a bit more options as far as colour is concerned.
Remember when Google initially said that the Pixel 8 Pro’s thermometer function won’t be able to work on human skin? Well, it seems that this is no longer the case, as Google has finally pushed an update which will allow users to use the Pixel 8 Pro thermometer app to scan their body temperature. Additionally, users can also save their recorded temperature via the Fitbit app along with all their other stats and personal fitness data.
Leaks… Leaks Everywhere
Now for the “unofficial” stuff – it looks like Pixel fans now have a better idea of what the Pixel 9 series will look like, based on design renders shared by online tech leaker @OnLeaks, in collaboration with the good people over at 91Mobiles and MySmartPrice. More specifically, a series of design renders based on the Pixel 9 series’ physical design were shared online, and the results will undoubtedly spark discussions revolving around the Pixel design language.
Both the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro look very similar to each other, although there are some key differences especially when compared to previous Google Pixel designs. For one, the new designs feature flat sides, a stark contrast to the slightly-rounded metal frame used in the Pixel 6, 7, and 8. The new design does retain the Pixel’s camera bar look, although it’s now contained on an island of its own, much like the Pixel Fold’s camera design.
It’s also worth noting that both Pixel 9 models featured in the leaks both come with triple-camera setups, predicted by many to be a main-ultrawide-telephoto combo. This does raise questions of whether or not the smaller Pixel 9 model is a compact Pro variant, or the base model itself.
Lastly, it looks like Google is getting ready to launch the Pixel 8a soon, at least according to some online photos which show the Pixel 8a’s retail packaging. Judging by the design of the 8a on the box, it does correspond to several photos shared online last year, which show the Pixel 8a to be a more compact variant of the Pixel 8, although that has always been the case with the Pixel A-series devices.
