There was still plenty for Google to show off at their ‘Made By Google 2023’ event in spite of a series of leaks ahead of Wednesday 4 October’s show. Google Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel Watch 2 all made their debuts with details on pricing and worldwide availability in tow.
The stars of the show were Google Pixel 8 Pro and Google Pixel Watch 2, though Pixel 8 managed to steal a few headlines. Google Pixel 8 Pro’s headline features are its camera hardware; two 48MP sensors, one of which includes a 5x optical zoom, and a 50MP whopper with laser auto-focus. The rollout of Android 14 has also caused a stir.
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Google Pixel Watch 2 aims to build on the solid effort seen in their first generation of device. This means tackling Google Pixel Watch’s biggest pain point – its battery life, especially when using the Always-On Display (AOD). To that end, Google Pixel Watch 2 is rated to last 24 hours with the Always-On Display enabled.
Google Pixel 8 Series Unveiled
Made By Google saw the company drop their Pixel 8 series, available in two models. Google Pixel 8 Pro features a glass-to-glass 10-bit image pipeline with 10-bit colour images from its tri-lens setup.
The 6.7″ 1,440 x 3,120 display is capable of producing 10-bit colour with over a billion colours on offer. A 120Hz refresh rate rounds off a flagship-worthy AMOLED display.
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The device is powered by Google’s next-gen Tensor G3 chipset built on a 4 nanometre process. In addition, Pixel 8 and 8 Pro both run Android 14 which launched at the Made By Google even in New York on 4 October 2023.
One of the boons of Android 14 is an expected increase in efficiency that should, in turn, improve stamina. Pixel 8 Pro also comes with a generous 4,950mAh battery so we’ll be eager to see if the device can go the distance.
Pre-orders for Google Pixel 8 Pro are open in Ireland, Google Ireland’s MRSP for the device is €1,099.
Google Pixel Watch 2 Stamina and Specs
Google Pixel Watch looked and felt the part – gorgeous piece of visual design that fit in perfectly with the brand’s design language. Pixel Watch 2 iterates on the design, keeping it elegant and free of clutter.
The stamina ultimately let the first-generation device down. 24 hours was about the upper limit with many of the bells and whistles turned off. Google Pixel Watch 2 aims to allow for the full 24-hour day with AOD and other functionality enabled.
Pixel Watch 2 runs Google’s latest WearOS 4.0 platform and features electrocardiogram functionality out of the box.
Pre-orders for Google Pixel Watch 2 are open right now in Ireland with Three devices starting at €399.
Google Pixel 8
And finally, Google Pixel 8 is available for pre-order with Three in Ireland, Google Ireland’s MRSP for Pixel 8 is €799.
