Hi Pixel 8 and 8 pro users, how has your experience with the new line of phones been so far? I’m still rocking a pixel 6 pro, and don’t intend on upgrading this year; however, as a pixel nerd, I am curious about how the new phone is holding up? Has there been any noticeable improvements or compromises compared to your last device? Most importantly are you still enjoying it?
I upgraded from a 6 Pro because I shattered my 6 Pro’s screen a couple of months ago.
Overall I like the upgrade. A lot of it is very similar - but the most noticeable improvement to me is the flat screen vs. the curved screen from the 6 Pro. I also appreciate the 5x optical zoom over the 6’s 4x. It’s also noticeably better at macro shots - did the 6 pro even have a macro lens?
I don’t know if the 6 Pro had an OLED screen or if the 8 Pro just does a better job showing it off, but it does a little lighting effect with my photos that make the per-pixel lighting noticeable in a way I never noticed on the 6 Pro.
The one major downgrade I’ve noticed, which I think also affects the 6 Pro since it’s software, is that they removed the ability to take a photosphere from the camera app. That’s a major disappointment since I was a big fan of that feature, and I’m on the lookout for a competent replacement app for that functionality.
Also a very minor annoying change that I know affects the 6 Pro too: The Calendar widget can no longer be shrunken to be only 3 tall. This is particularly annoying because I had it that size on my 6 Pro, and noticed I couldn’t on my 8 Pro (before trading it in) - so I made it 4 tall on my 6 Pro to test out, and it never let me put it back to 3 tall again. Seems like a pointless change that gives me less space.
Pro tip: If your trade-in phone has a cracked screen, just lie about it. They were offering $200 for a working 6 Pro with cracked screen or $400 for one without a cracked screen. My crack was pretty noticeable but it passed inspection anyways and I got the $400. If they do notice it you’ll just get bumped down to the $200 you’d have gotten with honesty anyways. Also sign up for the $2.50 trial of Google One, which gets you 10% back in store credit for Google Store purchases - that $2.50 one month trial got me my phone case, screen protector, and camera protector for free after the credit from the actual phone purchase.
I feel like I was pretty rambling here. You can ask about specifics if you have any.
You can have a look to AGC 9.1. It has photosphere and is a Gcam mod.
P6P here and I still have that function. App is up to date as far as I can tell. I really hope they’re not taking that away, I love Photosphere.
The P6P doesn’t have a macro lens I believe, so that will definitely be a nice quality of life improvement. Also the flat display is going to be something I can’t wait for!
I did hear about the photosphere. I thought that may have been a bug and it was accidentally removed - I suppose not. I love the feature too, especially when travelling.
Good to know about the screen condition and trade in value. My screen has a very small crack near the top and I’m hoping it’s not too much of an inconvenience when it comes time to trade in the phone haha. I’ll have to test my luck using your method I reckon.
I really hope it comes back at some point. At least I can still properly view photospheres so if I find another app that can make them (haven’t really looked yet), it should be okay.
Also, how is the soft touch back? Much less slippery than the old glossy back?
I use a case, so I don’t get much contact with the back - either now or back on the P6P - but it does feel pleasant and satisfying to glide my fingers over. I wouldn’t trust it to not be slippery on an uneven surface, but it’s quite soft. The G logo in the middle of the back is a different smoother finish, though, and it feels kind of bad to glide my finger over it - It effectively feels like a sticky spot.
Honestly can’t say I remember what the back of the 6P felt like.