The time has come: Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are officially available in Belgium. As usual, Google’s new smartphones have a strong focus on photography, but also with long-term support.

With the first seven generations of Pixel smartphones, Google consistently ignored our country, but that is changing today. Google announces the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro and is now officially launching the device in Belgium, just like the Pixel Watch 2 and Pixel Buds 2. Belgium is therefore no longer a third market in Google’s eyes.

The Pixel 8 Pro has a 6.7-inch screen with 1344 x 2992 pixels (489 ppi), the Pixel 8 is slightly smaller with a 6.2-inch screen (1080 x 2400, 428 ppi). For the third time in a row, Google is installing its own Tensor chipset in the new devices, reinforced by a Titan M2 security processor. The Tensor chip will provide support for WiFi 7 once the standard is rolled out more broadly. The Pro model has 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage, while the basic version has 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage.

When it comes to the battery, you can count on a 5050 mAh battery for the Pixel 8 Pro, which, according to Google, can easily last 24 hours and even lasts 72 hours in extreme battery saving mode. The Pixel 8 has a 4575mAh battery. Both devices charge at 30W, so you can have a half-full battery in 30 minutes. Google calls this fast charging and that may be true compared to Samsung and Apple, but brands like Xiaomi, Oppo and OnePlus show that it is much faster.

Focus on photography

Google focuses on photography with its Pixel smartphones and is certainly not moving away from it with the new generation. The Pixel 8 Pro has three cameras: The wide-angle camera in particular receives a major pixel upgrade from 12 MP to 48 MP. The specifications of the main camera (50 MP) and the telephoto camera (48 MP, 30x zoom) remain the same.

If you buy a Pixel 8, you have to make do with two cameras. The zoom lens is reserved exclusively for the Pro version, but the main camera can zoom in on distant objects up to 8x. The wide-angle camera is 12 MP. Video recordings are possible with both devices in 4K quality.

There are many clever software tricks to brighten your photos. The function Best recordingto name just one, compiles a series of group photos into a photo in which everyone looks good, so photos are no longer ruined because someone blinks at the wrong time.

7 years of updates

The introduction of new Pixel smartphones has also meant the start of a new Android vintage for years. The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro will ship with Android 14 as usual, and Google will also start rolling out the new version to its older devices (only the non-5G version is missing until the Pixel 4a 5G). Android 14 increases the security of the operating system and also protects your memory and battery.

Google is also significantly expanding its support guidelines for the new Pixel devices. You can enjoy feature and security updates for up to seven years. If your smartphone lasts that long, the Pixel 8 will last until September 2030. Only Fairphone does slightly better when it comes to long-term support.

Significant price increase

As mentioned, the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro will officially go on sale in Belgium from October 12th. We notice a significant price increase compared to the previous generation. The Pixel 8 costs 799 euros with 128 GB and 856 euros with more memory. The Pro model starts at 1099 euros and costs 1299 euros if you want the maximum storage space. Inflation will impact the price of Pixels this year.

Google is also launching the Pixel Watch 2 (Wi-Fi only) and the Pixel Buds 2 today. They cost 399 euros and 229 euros respectively. All prices include VAT.