When your device gets better with time
Will feature drops be the norm for devices?
The best features on the new Google Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel 8 phones are the ones involving its camera. My favourite: Best Take, which makes it so easy to get the perfect group shot. But Google seems to be saving the best for later. Video Boost, which uses Google’s data centres to enhance the colour and lighting of your videos, as well as Night Sight Video, which will, hopefully, make your lowlight videos more than just a dark mess, will arrive in December via an update.
This should come as no surprise to Pixel users. Google even coined the term Feature Drops for such updates. But Google isn’t the only company to roll out key features weeks or even months after the product launch. The latest Apple Watch Series 9 didn’t get its much-hyped Double Tap gesture till several weeks after launch. On the flip side, it’s nice when older, existing products are updated. For example, last year’s Pixel Buds Pro received a Feature Drop this month with features like clearer voice calling and conversation detection.
Perhaps treating hardware more like software, which is constantly updated, is the way to go. After all, software and AI are increasingly as important — and responsible for features such as computational photography, facial recognition, and voice assistants — as the hardware in today’s smartphones. And we all know how software can be tweaked and improved over time. Meanwhile, the pace of hardware innovation has also slowed considerably in mobile phones. This has led to consumers holding on to their devices for longer. Smartphone makers are also increasing the duration of their software support. Google, for example, promises up to seven years for the Pixel 8 phones, which is unprecedented for an Android device.
But it’s also not a good idea to buy a product based entirely on potential and future updates. While game developers can turn around a game’s fortunes via patches and updates — Cyberpunk 2077 and No Man’s Sky are great examples — it’s not that easy for hardware makers. Especially if it’s a gadget you saw on Kickstarter, if you know what I mean.
Speaking of games, the new Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is one of the best video games this year. And if you haven’t read our Google Pixel 8 Pro/Pixel 8 review, you should. Hisense’s latest flagship ULED X Mini-LED TV, meanwhile, is worth the premium, especially in the audio department.
What’s better than a superhero? Two, of course. In Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, you get to play as both Peter Parker and Miles Morales. And you can switch between them at almost any time. Gameplay remains fun, especially with new mechanics like the ability to glide with Web Wings, while the plot draws upon a familiar and beloved arc.
Google’s new Pixel 8 phones got a price bump this time round, but they also come with an unprecedented seven years of software support, along with the hardware parts should repairs be needed. The cameras and screens are better than before, and there are more AI-powered features. Get these phones by Oct 20 to enjoy a nice discount.
Hisense’s premium UX Mini-LED TV is right up there with the top TVs of the year. It offers OLED-like blacks, and searing highlights. And they have one of the best built-in TV speakers we have tried, including upward-firing speakers (with Dolby Atmos support) that create an immersive experience. Overall, this is a great TV.