The Pixel 8 series has been well-received and offers new features like the ‘Magic Editor’ and ‘Best Take.’ However, it looks like some features didn’t make the cut.
According to Android Authority, which dug into the code of Google’s latest factory images, Google scrapped several features before launching the Pixel 8.
For example, it looks like the Pixel 8 might have included a desktop mode thanks to support for DisplayPort over USB-C, creating an experience like Samsung’s DeX and Huawei Easy Projection.
Further, the Pixel 8 and the 8 Pro were supposed to feature 8K/30fps video capture. While the smartphone series’ hardware is capable of that frame rate and resolution, its software isn’t. The tech giant has reportedly been working on an encoder profile since 2022. Google would have used this encoder profile by the Google Camera app, allowing it to output 8K/30fps using h264 codec. However, the company encountered trouble with the encoder running on the Tensor G3 chip. Android Authority says it isn’t sure if this is still an issue, but it looks like the encoder profile was removed and re-added at some point during the device’s development.
The Pixel 8 is capable of recording slow-motion video at up to 1080p/240fps, but it looks like, at some point, Google planned to support capture for 720p/480fps slow-motion video.
While these features aren’t available on the Pixel 8, it’s possible we’ll see them in a future Feature Drop or on the Pixel 9.
Source: Android Authority
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