Prices for the Google Pixel 8 have been leaked by tipsters, and it looks like the new flagship smartphone from Google will be priced higher than the current generation Pixel 7 series.
While Google didn’t tease the new Pixel 8 series at its I/O event, the Google Pixel 8 Pro has been leaked quite extensively, and even prototype images of the device have been shared online.
These leaks have given us a fair idea of how the device may look, and what hardware will power the Google Pixel 8 series of smartphones.
Google Pixel 8 price, launch date revealed by tipster
Tipster Yogesh Brar has revealed that the Google Pixel 8 series will be launched in early October, a launch timeline similar to Google’s previous Pixel devices. Moreover, the Google Pixel 8 may cost $649 or $699 in the US, which is an increase over the Pixel 7.
For reference, the Pixel 7 was priced at $599 for the 128GB storage model in the US, while the 256GB storage variant cost $699.
It’s possible that a higher price tag in its home country would mean that the Pixel 8 will cost more for Indian buyers as well, compared to the Pixel 7 series.
In India, the Google Pixel 7 launched starting at ₹59,999, while the Pixel 7 Pro was priced starting at ₹84,999.
Also watch: Pixel 7 Pro Review: The new benchmark?
Google Pixel 8 Pro prototype leaked
The leaked images of the Pixel 8 Pro prototype were shared by a reddit user and confirm the design of the upcoming flagship smartphone from Google.
In the prototype images, the design looks just like the renders showcased by OnLeaks earlier in March, and features a large camera housing in a metal band across the back of the phone similar to the Pixel 7 Pro.
The front of the prototype seems to feature a centrally-aligned hole-punch along with a flat screen, instead of the curved screen seen on the current flagship Pixel 7 Pro.
Google Pixel 8 Pro Camera Design
The rear camera is what seems to be particularly different on this iteration of the Google Pixel flagship, with 3 large sensors visible in the leaked images of the prototype.
While the left-most and middle lenses are round, the one on the right of the camera housing is a periscope-style rectangular lens, similar to what we saw on the Pixel 7 Pro.
However, unlike the 7 Pro, that had a separate cutout in the camera island for the periscope lens, the Pixel 8 Pro seems to have all three lenses integrated in a single cutout.
That’s not all. There also seems to be an additional component underneath the flash module, which was discovered in previous leaks as an in-built temperature sensor.
The functionality of this new sensor was earlier seen in a brief video that’s since been taken down. The sensor, which works similarly to the contactless thermometers we’ve grown accustomed to ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, is used to read your body temperature.
What’s new with the Pixel 8 Pro in terms of hardware specifications?
The new camera array isn’t the only thing new it seems with the Pixel 8 Pro. There’s also a flat screen on the front, instead of the curved screen we previously saw on the Pixel 7 Pro.
Additionally, there’s the new leaked temperature sensor, that should come in handy to measure body temperature in a quick and easy contactless manner. In the leaked images of the Pixel 8 Pro prototype, one can also see the hardware specifications of the listed on the bootloader screen.
The phone carries the codename ‘husky’, and the ‘Zuma’ sticker on the back of the device indicates that the Pixel 8 Pro indeed runs on the Google Tensor G3 chipset, which the company will likely unveil at the launch event.
Moreover, the prototype is also listed to have ‘12GB Samsung LPDDR5 RAM’, and ‘128GB SKHynix’ internal storage.
Also watch: Google Pixel 7 Review: the compelling alternative!
Google Pixel 8 series launch details
As of now, there’s no official word yet on when Google will unveil the Pixel 8 series globally. If previous launches are any indication, it’s possible we will see the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro launch in October 2023.
Like the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, it seems likely that the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro will be launched in India, as a competitor to the iPhone 15 series and Samsung Galaxy S23 series.
