Google Pixel Android phones suddenly look incredibly appealing

Well, despite launching into some serious headwinds in terms of rival devices, the Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are officially a big success.

Hardware sales for Google's new phones have been impressive and have contributed to a general rise in Pixel handset sales, which is something that has gone hand-in-hand with the devices reviewing well with critics.

I mean, here at T3 we already knew this, stating in our reviews that both new Pixel phones, but especially the Pixel 7 Pro, were among the very best Android phones on the market today, suggesting they "should feature high up your shopping list" as they were "ace" yet "sensibly priced".

Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro were marked improvements on the good but not great Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, though, so this is understandable, and despite some concerns about the Google Tensor G2 processor's raw power, the Pixel 7 has won reviewers and customers over.

And, simply put, it's easy to see why. Both phones sport a distinctive and classy design that sets them apart from the competition, while the phones come loaded with simply outstanding camera systems, as well as great software and battery longevity, too. Throw in price points that undercut big rivals and you've got an incredibly tempting proposition.

However, as T3 reported just yesterday, it looks like this Google Pixel momentum in the Android phone space isn't stopping here, either, with our first details of next year's Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro phones leaking.

Time to jump on the Google Pixel Android phone bandwagon

That's because it looks like the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are going to be followed by a brace of powerhouse new Android flagships next year in the form of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.

The two new Pixel phones are codenamed "Husky" and "Shiba", with the former likely the Pro phone, and they will offer 2822x1344 and 2268x1080 resolution displays, 12GB of RAM, the next generation of Google Tensor chip codenamed "Zuma", and run Android 14 out of the box. Android 14's codename is "Upside Down Cake".

So, if the leaked information is correct, that means the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are going to offer even better screens, larger quantities of RAM, and enhanced processor performance over Pixel 7. Throw in an improved camera system, battery life and new OS in the form of Android 14, and that truly does sound like a bonafide, no-compromise mobile experience.

The "Zuma" processor performance will be key, though

The key detail, at least in my mind, though, in if the Pixel 8 series will truly dine at the Android phone top table, is just how well its Tensor G3 "Zuma" processor performs.

The weakest link in the Pixel 7 and Pixel 6 phone ranges is the performance from the Tensor G1 and G2 processors, which fall massively behind Qualcomm Snapdragon and Apple Silicon rivals. So an improvement in this department in Pixel 8 would be very welcome. 

That said, though, this early leak points to the Zuma processor potentially being based on Samsung's Exynos 2300 processor. And, well, that could be a big problem as Samsung's Exynos processors have been falling short of rivals for years now. Maybe a customized variant of the Exynos 2300 upgraded with Google's expert machine learning and AI-based optimizations could be the game changer that's needed though, leading to a genuine flagship mobile processor.

Right now, of course, it is too early to draw conclusions, but one thing is clear at least to me – for the first time in a long time Google Pixel phones look like the real deal. Watch this space.