We think we know when the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro launch now (Wednesday, October 4), but the leaks surrounding this upcoming flagship keep coming and we’ve got a few more to report on.
First, as relayed by a seasoned tipster Mishal Rahman (through android police), it looks like both the new phones will have support for the Wi-Fi 7 standard, meaning they’ll be able to take advantage of the Wi-Fi 7 networking kit when it hits the scene (which should be later this year) .
Wi-Fi 7 for the Pixel 8 phones was rumored way back in July, and it makes sense for the standard to be supported. As with any Wi-Fi standard upgrade, this means faster speeds, more bandwidth and lower latency, and we’ve got you covered with a Wi-Fi 6E vs. Wi-Fi 7 walkthrough that outlines the differences.
The Wi-Fi 7 specification was revealed as the Pixel 8 handsets passed the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulatory body in the US, but the same documents suggest that only the Pixel 8 Pro will receive ultra-wideband (UWB) support for more accurate device tracking – which is odd if Google plans to launch its own AirTags soon.
More night vision
The other Pixel 8 leak that emerges is from 9to5Google, and it’s actually two leaks in one. Sources speaking to the site say the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro will indeed have a physical SIM card slot, despite previous rumors that the handsets would only support eSIMs.
Next up, the Pixel 8 Pro is apparently going to add Night Sight for video, which should mean better detail and clearer shots for clips shot in very low light. This will most likely be achieved through a combination of the phone’s rear camera hardware and software features built into the Camera app.
Night vision for still images has been available on Pixel phones for years, using multiple exposures, specially tuned algorithms and machine learning to dramatically improve the quality of low-light images. The results could be impressive and we look forward to seeing how it all works with video.
Everything will be revealed in a month or so, and you can expect more rumors and leaks between then and now. In the meantime, Apple has a special event scheduled for September 12, which is expected to unveil the iPhone 15.