As well as bringing some hardware upgrades with it, the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro will also arrive with a revamped Camera app, it's been revealed. Various shooting modes have been shuffled around, and the interface is easier to use, too.
This leak comes from a source inside Google speaking to Android Authority. One of the key differences outlined by this source is that photo and video modes are going to be more clearly separated – you choose the photo or video option first, then pick a more specific mode (such as portrait or slow motion).
The camera switch and gallery buttons have been swapped around, which may take some getting used to for seasoned Pixel users, and the settings dialog is accessed with a swipe up from the bottom of the screen, rather than a swipe down from the top. There's also a new settings button for easier access to features like the timer.
It also seems as though Google wants to make certain modes more prominent. The Long Exposure and Action Pan options aren't new, but they have been given their own tabs for direct access, rather than being put behind a Motion button.
Hardware and software
The report suggests that these changes will be arriving first on the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, though the updated Camera app will most likely make its way to other Pixels eventually. Google often gives the latest Pixels priority for new software features, before older models get them too.
We're also being told to expect some software improvements with the Pixel 8 phones that aren't tied directly to the Camera app. They include Staggered HDR for speeding up the capture process, and Adaptive torch, which apparently intelligently adjusts the flash level.
Android Authority also goes over some of the hardware leaks we've previously heard. Both the Pixel 8 and the Pixel 8 Pro are going to get an upgraded 50MP Samsung GN2 for their main camera sensor, while the Pro model will also get a new 64MP ultrawide snapper.
These phones are shaping up to be pretty major upgrades for the Pixel series, and it shouldn't be long before they're official. If Google sticks to the same schedule it did for the Pixel 7 and the Pixel 7 Pro, the new handsets should arrive in October – perhaps alongside the Pixel Watch 2.
