Despite the recent launch of Google’s first foldable phone, many Android fans are looking forward to the fall. That’s when we’re expecting to see Google’s next generation of phones — presumably the Pixel 8 series. Last year’s Pixel 7 series was well received, with the Pixel 7 Pro and more affordable Pixel 7A earning spots on CNET’s best phones list for 2023.

Google hasn’t made any official references to the Pixel 8 lineup, but it’s safe to assume the new line will launch in the fall considering the company’s track record. Google has released a next-gen Pixel phone every fall since 2016. Until the official launch, here’s the buzz on the upcoming Pixel 8 series.

Pixel 8 camera hardware: Ultrawide camera gets a bigger and better sensor

The Pixel 7 series is known for its impressive photography chops, and last year the camera upgrade included a telephoto lens. This year, the upgrade appears to be focused on the ultrawide camera, at least according to a June report by Android Authority. The article says the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro’s ultrawide cameras will have a 64-megapixel Sony IMX 787 sensor — a solid upgrade from the now-dated Sony’s 12-megapixel IMX 386 sensor. This new sensor, which is also on the main camera of Google’s Pixel 7A, is nearly double the size and should translate to a higher quality ultrawide camera that’ll allow more light into the sensor. 

Pixel 8 camera software: AI-powered upgrades

Google has built a reputation for its computational photography prowess, an area it invested in years before its rivals. According to various reports, a number of AI software upgrades are set to make their way to the camera system. One of them is reportedly called “adaptive torch,” a feature that intelligently adjusts the LED flash intensity, depending on the environment, to prevent overexposure in images taken in low light. 

Another feature is said to be called Segmentation AWB, which uses AI to segment the photo into various parts and apply selective image processing. The Pixel 8’s cinematic video feature is also expected to get an upgrade that would allow you to adjust the blurriness level.  

Pixel 8 Pro: Thermometer feature

One of the notable changes that could make its way to the Pixel 8 Pro is a new thermometer feature according to a video leak from 91mobiles, working with tipster Kuba Wojciechowski. (The video has since been taken offline, but you can find copies on the internet.) The feature is tipped be a contactless thermometer that monitors your skin’s temperature to help you determine if you might be running a fever. 

If the leak is accurate, it won’t be the first time smartphones have offered such a health feature (we saw it on the Honor 4 Play Pro, which has an IR sensor, as well as in paid apps on the Samsung Galaxy S4 and Note 3), but this would be the first time we’ve seen one on the Pixel lineup.

Pixel 8 design: Display, camera bar tweaks expected

After Google overhauled the design of its Pixel lineup in 2021, the changes to the Pixel 8 series design are expected to be more subtle. According to renders posted on Twitter by prominent leaker OnLeaks, the Pixel 8 will lose its curved display in favor of a flat one. 

Remember the horizontal camera bar? That’s expected to remain, but this year all cameras on the Pro model could be encased in a single glass pill, unlike the pill-and-circle design of the Pixel 7 Pro. There also appears to be an extra sensor, which might be that thermometer feature discussed earlier. 

Another potential design change, at least according to display analyst Ross Young, is a smaller display on the standard Pixel 8. He expects we’ll see a 6.16-inch display down from the 6.32 inch display on the Pixel 7, while the Pixel 8 Pro will remain the same size as its predecessor.