Google’s mistreatment of the small Pixel 8 has me worried about the Pixel 9

We knew from the second they have been introduced that the smaller and larger Pixel 8 and eight Professional wouldn’t be handled equally by Google. The infant Pixel 8, as I wish to name it, lacked the guide digicam controls that appeared on the 8 Professional, although it ought to have been completely able to dealing with them. Different options, like Video Increase and Zoom Improve, have been additionally promised as Pixel 8 Professional exclusives.

We thought that may be the extent of it: The Professional would get some additional pictures options as a result of it made sense to supply them to those that splurged on the pictures monster, not the fundamental cellphone. Nice.

However then Google revealed that Gemini Nano, its on-device AI mannequin, received’t be coming to the bottom Pixel 8 both. This might deprive it of accessing AI options like voice and article summaries or keyboard good replies regionally, privately, and rapidly. That exclusion didn’t include any actual rationalization, both, save for a imprecise “{hardware} limitations” remark.

Everybody’s working concept is RAM. AI fashions are infamous for useful resource utilization, and the Pixel 8 solely gives 8GB in comparison with the 8 Professional’s roomier 12GB. That excuse falls to items, although, when you already know that each one three Samsung Galaxy S24 telephones, together with the bottom 8GB Galaxy S24, are getting Gemini Nano. So what’s it, actually, that makes the Pixel 8 a lot much less succesful than the Pixel 8 Professional?

Nothing, actually, on paper. Not even in the event you dig alongside the margins. The variations between the Pixel 8 and eight Professional are well-known, however when it comes to energy, each run the identical Google’s Tensor G3 processor, and all of our testing confirmed they’d fairly related benchmark outcomes. The Pixel 8 scores a fraction decrease on most exams, however the distinction is neither vital sufficient nor a justifiable excuse to deprive it of additional options. Even the temporary rumor that the Tensor G3 is perhaps packaged in a different way between the 2 telephones (through @RGcloudS) was later dispelled (through @Za_Raczke). So as soon as once more, what’s it actually that makes the Pixel 8 a lot much less succesful than the Pixel 8 Professional?

I’m certain there’s a motive aside from advertising and marketing and greed — ha! No, actually, Google has performed typically nicely in bringing new options to older {hardware} for years now. Some outlier options appear to be arbitrarily locked out of particular telephones, however normally, the corporate has set a great instance in ensuring as many telephones in its portfolio obtained its newer improvements.

That’s why the Pixel 8’s remedy — and the dearth of transparency round it — is jarring. It’s additionally baffling that Google launched this cellphone just a few months in the past totally conscious of these “{hardware} limitations” and totally conscious the 8 wouldn’t be capable of sustain with the 8 Professional as soon as extra demanding AI fashions landed. We’re not even six months into this cellphone’s launch, and it’s already lagging behind!

And I’m not alone in my concern. We requested you, Android Authority readers and followers throughout numerous social platforms, whether or not you regretted shopping for the bottom Pixel 8. We obtained over 6,500 votes in whole. Though solely a 3rd of our website readers have been jaded by their buy, the grief was extra apparent on Twitter and YouTube, the place a bit of greater than 50% of voters mentioned they regretted their resolution.

For a lot of of those that voted “No,” although, the reason was that they purchased the Pixel 8 for its worth and dimension. AI and Gemini, Nano or in any other case, weren’t and nonetheless will not be part of the equation. However that’s at the moment.

I perceive that we are able to all scoff at Gemini Nano and its restricted capabilities at the moment. Lacking out on a easy article or voice recording abstract? Eh, that’s not the top of the world. However tomorrow’s Gemini Nano may very well be a extra highly effective beast. What then? What if extra unique options landed for Gemini Nano on the Pixel 8 Professional however by no means confirmed up on the Pixel 8? What in case your still-new cellphone discovered itself lagging behind the competitors?

This is the reason I’m fearful concerning the upcoming base Pixel 9. Though we don’t know a lot concerning the smaller cellphone’s {hardware} and capabilities versus the larger 9 Professional, the Pixel 8 is setting a nasty priority. The 9 may equally be uncared for just a few months into its existence. A function right here, one other there, and unexpectedly, it’s probably not a great deal anymore.

50% of my phone-buying resolution lately is predicated on out-of-the-box options, and the opposite 50% on how nicely the corporate has traditionally stored its earlier telephones up to date. Not simply with common Android model replace insurance policies and safety patches but in addition with progressive options. I like the Pixel lineup as a result of Function Drops add additional worth to my cellphone each few months. The Pixel 8’s scenario is placing a query mark subsequent to this former certainty, although.

Is that this a one-time exception, or will there be an increasing number of examples of Google leaving much less highly effective {hardware} behind in a rush to compete on AI? And is the corporate actually prepared to damage some of the interesting features of the Pixel expertise — the truth that even the most affordable Pixel gives some distinctive options? I hope not, however till we’re certain, I’d be very cautious of the Pixel 9.