With the Pixel 7a just announced, all anticipation has shifted to Google’s next phones, the Pixel 8 and the Pixel 8 Pro. It’s unusual, however, to see a leak this big, this far in advance of the device’s expected launch in October 2023.
A video has been leaked via 91Mobiles that shows off a unique new feature on this phone. By unique, we mean that no other phone has offered this function. There’s an additional sensor on the rear of the Pixel 8 Pro that is an infrared sensor. This sensor can be used to measure your body temperature, with the video demonstrating how this process works.
At the same time, we get a good look at the design of the phone – and that’s why this leak is so interesting, because we’re getting a double-whammy. The design doesn’t look hugely different to the Pixel 7 Pro, except for the camera bar openings shifting around a little, placing the three lenses together rather than having the periscope lens in a separate roundel.
The temperature sensor makes sense in a post-pandemic world, and many will be familiar with having an IR device pointed at your head to measure your body temperature and see if you might be running a fever. The measuring by the phone doesn’t look to be the simplest, which is probably why this instructional video has been made.
You have to point it at your forehead, getting as close as possible without touching the skin and then scan around to your temple, with a buzz telling you that the process is complete. Just hope you don’t have to do this while sweating and shivering, as we’re sure you’ll end up slapping your head a couple of times.
According to 91mobiles, the data that’s captured you’ll be able to use the sensor to measure the temperature of other objects too. We’re sure there will be no shortage of people wanting to measure whether the Google Tensor 3 that the phone is likely to be powered by kicks out excess heat… but it’s likely to also be popular with parents who can quickly scan their kids to reassure themselves that there’s nothing wrong with them.
Other leaks about the forthcoming phone are pretty scarce, we’re expecting – as confirmed by this video – a design that doesn’t change much from the current devices, perhaps a minor shift in the display sizes with mixed reports suggesting the next-gen Google phones might be slightly more compact.
Of course, most of the interest will be in the Pixel camera, with a rumour suggesting that it will carry a 50-megapixel Samsung sensor, said to be great for low light capture. As always, however, it’s the computational photography that makes the biggest difference in Pixel cameras – but the company will certainly be looking to maintain its stellar low-light performance.
You can expect to hear a lot more about the Pixel 8 models over coming months, before they launch in October.
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