New functions for Pixel devices: Video night vision exclusively for Pixel 8 Pro
The Pixel 8 Pro gets a night mode for videos. Pixel devices can clean scanned documents. The Pixel feature drop in December 2023 is here.
Every three months, Google provides its Pixel devices with new functions. The new AI framework Gemini is only available for the Pixel 8 Pro. Other innovations are available from the Pixel 5a and some exclusively for the Pixel Tablet, the Pixel Fold or the Pixel Watch.
Not all functions are completely new. Google has already introduced some of them in the past and has now released them.
New AI and video night vision
The Pixel 8 Pro will run "Gemini Nano" in future. The smallest version of the new artificial intelligence (AI) works on the smartphone without an internet connection. So far, however, it only offers two functions and only in English:
- Summary of recordings with the recorder app
- Automatic replies in the Gboard keyboard, initially only in WhatsApp.
Two other AI-related innovations for the Pixel 8 Pro are not part of Gemini. Night vision is now also available for videos. The AI is designed to reduce image noise and provide more detail and colour in low light. For the "Video Boost", however, you have to upload videos to the Google Cloud. There, "computational photography" will then improve colours, lighting, grain and stability.
Night vision is also coming for time-lapse recordings, here even for the Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel 8.
Pixels as a webcam, repair mode and new functions for apps
Further innovations in the photo area are available for older devices from the Pixel 6 onwards, including new lighting options for portrait shots in Google Photos. "Photo Unblur" can now also sharpen furry animals - Google mentions dogs and cats by name.
From the Pixel 6 onwards, smartphones can also be connected to a computer as a webcam via USB cable.
Source: Google
Google Drive can now even clean scanned documents from the Pixel 5a onwards. However, the AI can only make fingers, dog-ears or coffee stains disappear if they are not too large. It cannot guess hidden content either. On the same smartphones, the password manager now recognises accounts that support passkeys and makes it easier to log in with them.
The clock app gets a new tab for times at different locations - including weather data.
The repair mode is designed to protect your data when you send in your device. A complete reset should no longer be necessary to prevent access.
Pixel Fold and tablet: photo preview, spatial sound and video calls
The Pixel Fold gets a "Dual Screen Preview". This means that the camera app displays its viewfinder image on both displays
Source: Google
The Pixel Tablet is now capable of spatial sound. Both with its own speakers and with Pixel Buds Pro. In addition, an AI should filter out background noise even better during video calls.
Pixel Watch for unlocking
The Pixel Watch can be used to unlock the Pixel tablet and all Pixel smartphones from the Pixel 5a upwards. No need for a fingerprint sensor, facial recognition or code if your smartwatch is nearby
In addition, the first-generation Pixel Watch catches up with the Pixel Watch 2. The older model can now also adopt the "Do not disturb" settings and set sleep times. It also gets new watch faces and styles for complications that were previously reserved for the new smartwatch.
Cover photo: Jan Johannsen
As a primary school pupil, I used to sit in a friend's living room with many of my classmates to play the Super NES. Now I get my hands on the latest technology and test it for you. In recent years at Curved, Computer Bild and Netzwelt, now at Digitec and Galaxus.