Google Pixel 8. Great!

The retail market in Papua New Guinea seems to have been caught up in the hype of the new iPhone 15 and Galaxy S23 and missed one of the best releases of 2023. 

It went straight over their heads, wooosh… and it was so obvious.

Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro was announced and released last month (October 2023) and is the latest in the line of Pixel phones that have been engineered by Google since 2016.

The Pixel brand has been around even longer, with Google releasing the Chromebook Pixel laptop in 2013.

Fast forward to 2023, and Google Pixel now encompasses a wide range of tech products including speakers, earbuds, tablets, watches, smart home appliances, various accessories… and the smartest of smart phones.

About Google

Most people think of Google as a search engine. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Google is in fact an American multinational technology company with interests in artificial intelligence, online advertising, search engine technology, cloud computing, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, and consumer electronics.

It has been referred to as "the most powerful company in the world" and as one of the world's most valuable brands due to its market dominance, data collection, and technological advantages in the field of artificial intelligence.

Google is also the owner of Android, the operating system that drives most mobile phones outside of Apple’s iOS sphere of influence.

Google acquired Android in 2005. Android now has global market share of around 67% compared to iOS 32%.*

So, it makes perfect sense for Google to be in the smartphone space.

*For a more in-depth comparison of Android v iOS, see our recent article.

https://smartshopper-png.blogspot.com/2023/10/taking-aim-at-apple-again.html



Google Pixel 8: a misnomer

In the English language a misnomer is a wrong or inaccurate name or designation.

Also in the English language is the word “pixelate” which basically refers to an unclear image, like one that is low-res (it has to do with bitmaps and pixels). You know, when it doesn’t look sharp but instead you see all small blurry squares that compose the image.

So, the name Pixel 8 is an unfortunate misnomer, and I bet there were some interesting discussions in the marketing meetings at Google – like ‘let’s skip Pixel 8 and go straight to Pixel 9’. (LOL)

Rather than pixelate, the new Google Pixel 8 has the smarts to improve photos, remove objects (Magic Erase) and even move things around within a photo with the power of AI. AI also powers features like Best Take, Magic Editor and Audio Magic Eraser.

The Best Take feature is capable of transforming group photos. If someone is not smiling, another blinking, it will magically make the corrections. 

Audio Magic Eraser lets you isolate and erase background noise in videos, focusing on the subject and enhancing the audio quality.

There are other AI tricks the phone can do. For instance, with Live Translate you can interpret face-to-face conversations in 49 languages in real time, transcribe messages and translate signs. This is stuff Google has for breakfast.

Or how about using your smartphone as a temperature sensor, to check the temperature of water or any surface? Google Pixel 8 can do it.






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