My Google Pixel 8 Pro wishlist
Longer battery life and faster charging please
Now that Apple has announced the latest iPhones, the next big smartphone reveal is the Google Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel 8. The tech giant has already penciled Oct 4 for its Made By Google event in New York City, which should introduce the new Pixels, as well as the Pixel Watch 2.
Based on Google’s sneak peek video, the Pixel 8 phones look similar to previous models. They retain the visor-like camera bar, though Google says they come with the “most advanced Pixel cameras yet”. While the rumour mill is buzzing about a new 50MP Samsung image sensor that captures more light, I think the existing cameras on the Pixel 7 series are pretty good. Instead I’m hoping for better battery life and faster charging speeds.
The latter is my biggest peeve with the Pixel 7 Pro, which I have been using for almost a year now. I don’t charge the phone at night. This means the phone sometimes has 15% battery or less the next morning. That’s when I scramble to find my charger, especially if I’m heading out early. While super-fast charging may end up being bad for the battery in the long run, I think Google can do better than the Pixel 7 Pro’s 23W charging speed.
Longer battery life would be a close second for me. My Pixel 7 Pro usually lasts a day, but there have been close calls. Hopefully, the new Tensor G3 chip in the Pixel 8 phones will be more power efficient. And more importantly, it doesn’t run as warm, especially given Singapore’s hot weather. I have experienced instances where my Pixel 7 Pro flatly refuses to upload photos because it’s overheated.
Of course, Google will likely have some cool software feature to make use of the Pixel’s AI-powered abilities. Photo Unblur on the Pixel 7 phones is really cool, but it doesn’t get much use from me because the camera is so good. Perhaps we’ll see Video Unblur in the Pixel 8 — just because Google needs to close the gap with the iPhones here.
In short, Oct 4 can’t come soon enough! Meanwhile, we’re in the midst of testing the new iPhones, but our most recent reviews include some interesting products like Hisense’s latest mid-range Mini-LED TV, Dyson’s first robot vacuum, and a budget gaming phone from ZTE.
Hisense’s new mid-range U7K Mini-LED TV is packed with the latest features, including a game bar with gaming settings. It also performs well, with deep blacks that are almost OLED-like. While its VIDAA TV interface may not be everyone’s cup of tea, the U7K is cheaper (around S$3,200 for 65-inch) than comparable Mini-LED TVs.
Dyson’s first robot vacuum offers impressive suction power. But it’s not quite there yet. Its vision-based navigation has its issues, while the Dyson 360 Vis Nav lacks features you’d expect for its premium S$1,999 price, such as mopping or a dock that collects dust.
The ZTE Nubia Neo 5G is marketed as a budget gaming phone, but it’s not that different from other phones in the S$300 price range. Yes, it has a 120Hz display, but that isn’t unique nowadays. And neither is its gaming control centre. It’s a decent phone, though, but doesn’t do enough to stand out.