WHY is this feature not available on the Pixel 8?!

In this episode of TechFocus, I cover three things:
- What was announced in Pixel December Feature Drop;
- My thoughts on the release and what it potentially means for users of non-pro Pixel phones going forward, and;
- The problem with the exclusivity of features between the regular and Pro Pixel phones, as well as between the U.S. and the rest of the world.
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Links from this episode:
- Google Gemini: deepmind.google/technologies/...
- Android Police Article on Summarise in Recorder: www.androidpolice.com/google-...
- December Pixel Feature Drop information: store.google.com/intl/en/idea...
- TechRadar Article on US-Only features: www.techradar.com/phones/outs....
- 9to5 Google Video on Video Boost: • Google Pixel 8 Pro: Vi...
- Understand Passkeys in 4 Minutes: • Understand passkeys in...
Check out the rest of the gear I use to create my KZbin videos: kit.co/arranpbrown/youtube-cr...
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TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 What we're going to cover in this episode!
00:43 December Pixel Feature Drop announcements
2:26 Pixel 8 Pro Exclusive Features
7:14 Pixel 8 Exclusive Feature
8:16 Portrait Light Feature Demo
9:29 Photo Unblur upgrades
10:01 How to Use Your Pixel 8 as a Webcam
12:26 Document Clean feature
14:09 Additional features
19:05 Software Blocking of Features on the Pixel 8
20:50 U.S.-only features
21:55 Why Gemini Nano is exciting!

[@levipb1403]

This is such a bad practice, specially when we already can't even access most of the features since they're for US users only

[@arranpbrown]

I agree - you only get 100% of the Pixel experience if you live in the U.S. and it’s frustrating for Pixel owners in the rest of the world!

[@jigyansunanda]

I am using a Pixel 6a. switched from iPhone. I love this phone. But the call screening should be available everywhere. That makes me sad. some pixel features being just US only, makes me think if a phone, that's primarily software focused should have it's software available for everyone who buys it, otherwise what's the point !!! Good video. Loving your unbiased takes on Pixels. Edit: TIL you have a podcast. searched it on YT Music app. and it shows this one already played.

[@arranpbrown]

Glad you like the Pixel 6a, but yeah, it is frustrating that you don't have access to software features if you're based outside the U.S.! There are other tech companies that also do this, but I think it's particularly frustrating for Pixel because they are marketed so heavily with these features that we can't access. Yeah, I release the podcast episodes as videos on KZbin and add them to my TechFocus podcast playlist, so they appear on KZbin Music if you prefer to listen to them on there 😊 it just gets more eyes on the episode and podcast in general, otherwise it's difficult to spread it to more people on just audio platforms like Spotify. I hope you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for your comment and for the feedback - I appreciate it! 👌

[@fernandocs4783]

Very nice and informative video. Thank you. I have ordered a Pixel 8 -- although I was tempted to get an 8 Pro, but the savings and the smaller size were attractive.

[@arranpbrown]

Thanks for the comment! I'm very happy with my Pixel 8 to be honest, and looking forward to seeing what new features we get in the future. I also love the smaller size, which is a big factor (ironically) for me choosing this phone over the Pixel 8 Pro! It's also great that you can get it at well under the original £700 starting price now, which is good. I hope you like it when it arrives! Thanks for watching! 😁

[@salaheddine473]

i hate when companies intentionally block some software features just for the sake of up-selling other products, especially when the hardware is virtually the same, but as long as it's android there's always a way to make it work if the person is willing to root its phone to unlock these features, but it suck to jump through loops and holes just to enable something that should be there from the get go, anyhow i really enjoyed your video, really informative and well structured, thanks sir

[@arranpbrown]

I agree - it's not great! And good point, if you're willing to root your phone then you can get around this, but it would be nice not to have to do this. Thanks so much for your comments, I appreciate the feedback! 😁👌

[@levipb1403]

Let's thank apple for teaching this to everyone else

[@arranpbrown]

@levipb1403 yup, I think you're right! 😰

[@menniamitai7906]

will summarize come to the uk, i just bought the 8 pro and this was the feture that excited me to purchase it

[@arranpbrown]

I don't think it's likely to come to the UK until the Gemini app comes to the UK, which I believe Google is waiting for some AI legislation to pass in the EU before the EU, UK and Switzerland get the Gemini app. There is no guarantee that we'll get the summarise feature, but I think if it's going to happen then it's likely to align with Gemini, whenever that happens. We're missing a lot of the best features right now, unfortunately!

[@phritza]

Thanks for your perspective. If it really is a ram limitation then the 7 pro should get gemini but it feels more like software locking

[@arranpbrown]

Good point! I'm not sure if it requires the updated 'TPU' in the Tensor G3 to function though, so that might be a limitation for the 7 Pro, but to be honest, I doubt it! I agree that it's probably software locking unfortunately! Thanks for the comment! 👌

[@Celis.C]

This is a great approach to reviewing phones beyond just specs and hype! I appreciate it! My good old Sony Xperia XZ2 compact is sadly showing its age (slowing down, charging issues), so I've been looking around for an actual compact smartphone. Spoiler alert: they don't exist anymore. I've had my eye on the upcoming Sony Xperia 10 VI, the Google Pixels (7, 7a, 8, 8a) and possibly a Samsung model, but it's hard to pull the trigger on any. I want my phones for longevity (updates, not slowing down, good battery life) but also wouldn't mind a good enough camera for every day use (which I think every model mentioned should have). I might want to use it for some smartphone gaming (think Genshin), but that'd be sporadically. Having some good specs to last 5-7 years would definitely be a bonus and worth some additional price (and I'm expecting a small appreciation bonus from work that could help towards upping my budget). But possibly most importantly: I want to be able to actually handle the phone, so big chonkers are a definite no go. I dig the camera bar at the rear of the Pixel, since it offers a good point to rest on my index finger (I went to check it physically in store yesterday). The lack of a 'back' button will be something to grow accustomed to, but that doesn't have to be a deal breaker. Given my requirements, my eye is on the Pixel 8 for now, especially given that I can hold it and that it promises longevity in terms of OS/software/security updates, as well as good battery life (I hear complaints that it charges slow, but that actually helps batteries to last longer). What's your take? Might there be a model I've missed that you'd recommend given a €500-650 budget range?

[@arranpbrown]

That's quite a few requirements for a phone to be fair, especially with the limited budget - the small screen size and longevity of software updates really cuts down the options. The S24 generally looks good, but uses the Exynos chipset in Europe, which is significantly worse than the Snapdragon Gen 3 used in the same phone for the rest of the world. My only other suggestion would be the Samsung S23, which you can find for cheaper now, and uses the Snapdragon processor in Europe. The only issue is you only get 4 years of software updates and 5 of security updates (although we are now 1.5 years into that cycle). Based on what you've said, I think the Pixel 8 is probably your best option to be honest, with the S24 being a second place, if you're willing to try out the Exynos chipset and see if it meets your needs. I personally also prefer the software experience on the Pixel phones having used the S22 before switching to the Pixel 8. I hope this helps - thanks for the comment!

[@Celis.C]

@@arranpbrown It very much does help, I appreciate the insight! I guess it's fair to say that the budget would be relatively low for a device to last me a long time, though I do consider it a pretty hefty sum already. I tend to splurge on my PC systems so that they can last me a good while; I suppose that it's similar in the smartphone space.

[@arranpbrown]

@Celis.C no worries! I think you can get a good phone in that price range to be fair, but specifically compact phones tend to sacrifice some of the other things you require, if that makes sense. I think the rumoured Pixel 9 Pro could be a really nice phone, as it's rumoured to be a similar size to the regular Pixel 8, but with the Pro features. It will probably have a much higher price tag though...!

[@sherwinricalde3215]

how's the screen of pixel 8? is it true that it scratches easily? New subscriber here from Vancouver!

[@arranpbrown]

Thanks for the comment and for the support!! The screen is fantastic to be honest - it gets super bright and the colours etc on it look excellent! It does scratch fairly easily in my experience, so I would recommend using a screen protector on it if you really want to protect it. However, I've actually only got one little nick on it since I got it back in mid-October and I don't use a screen protector, so it's definitely not terrible! Thanks for watching! 😊

[@MsGardeness]

Just got my Pixel 8 yesterday. Moved up from a Pixel 4A (seriously). So no complaints about the P8 from me! I had actually ordered a Pixel 7 but the retailer upgraded it to a Pixel 8 at no extra charge. I'm a happy camper.

[@arranpbrown]

That's great to get a free upgrade to the Pixel 8! And it should be a nice upgrade from your 4A. Enjoy! 😁

[@jejunamja]

Hey, nice job on the video. Thanks for putting the work in. It's a bummer the pixel 8 isn't getting some of the AI features. Make me second guess on ever getting another pixel phone as I don't like gigantic phones but you buy pixels because of the software and AI features not for hardware because there's much better phones with better hardware

[@arranpbrown]

Thank you! Yes, it sucks. Hopefully the Pixel 8 will get access to Gemini Nano in the future, but we'll have to wait and see. Thanks for the comment!

[@hometechUK]

Gemini Not coming to the Pro 8 UK apparently why? Video bost does not seem to make any difference to day time video but works better in low light or night.

[@arranpbrown]

I think Gemini Nano is still coming to the UK version of the Pixel 8 Pro. I can't find anything online to suggest it's not - it's just not coming to the regular Pixel 8 at the moment unfortunately. Yeah, I agree about your points about Video Boost - seems to look a lot better at night! Thanks for the comment and thanks for watching! 👌

[@user-mu2mj8qn1k]

Using pixel 8 in the uk has been hint and miss im abit disappointed at the moment. The software doenst feel buttery smooth anymore it feels clunky and may i say confusing im currently having a simple issue with just searching for a playing song it no longer works so frustrating and no one seems to give a straight fix to this issue. Im also disappointed with the tensor 3 coming from the pixel 6a i actually wish id kept the 6a as this phone offered way above its asking price. I dont feel ive gained much apart from screen brightness which was one of my main reasons of upgrading from the 6a to pixel 8. I definitely wont jump into buying the pixel 9 like i did with the 8. If certain software is only available in a different country google should have been open and honest about this from the start and even lowered the price of the device due to reduced software options in different countries. May I say what a refreshing unbiased review thoroughly enjoyed it 👍

[@arranpbrown]

Thanks for your super long comment, Christopher! I get your frustrations - I haven't had too many issues with the software being stuttery or anything like that, but I have noticed some other glitches that I'm planning on highlighting in my 6-month review of the phone. That's interesting about your take between the 6a and the 8 and pretty disappointing that you feel the 8 wasn't much of a jump from the 6a, especially when you've paid a good amount of money to upgrade! And yes, I agree that it's a pain that we don't get a lot of the same features as US customers - we're missing a lot of the best ones, like the summarise feature! Thanks so much for your kind comments, and for watching! 👌

[@Ignozi]

As someone who also lives in the UK and is strongly considering getting the 8 Pro in the next few days, would you say overall we're getting enough or most of the promised features to make this phone worth it in our region? I'm mainly concerned with screen calling, "hold for me" and most of the camera stuff. I'm a bit undecided between the 8 Pro or the new S24 Ultra but I'm a bit tired of Samsung having spent the last two years using a pretty mediocre S22 Exynos. Thanks.

[@arranpbrown]

I think we are at least getting a better deal than countries where the main language is not English, but we're definitely not getting the same experience. Missing features like summarise for webpages is a bit of a pain, but the camera features are good if they are something you are inclined to use. I've not personally used the 'hold for me' feature yet, but I've tried out the screen call feature and it works well in terms of the transcript etc. but the voice is clearly the Google assistant so I reckon most people would immediately hang up unless they know you well and know that is something you'd use when you're unable to pick up the call, if that makes sense - we don't get the advanced more natural sounding version that is available in the U.S. unfortunately, but it is still definitely a useful feature, especially for avoiding spam callers. I personally just prefer the experience of using the clean, stock android over Samsung's skin, even though Samsung's OneUI has definitely improved over previous years. But I'm happy with my decision to switch to Pixel from Samsung ultimately, but I don't think the gap is big enough to say one is categorically better than the other to be honest. I hope that helps a bit, but it's really up to you at the end of the day what you want to go for. Thanks for the comment!

[@Ignozi]

Honestly, that's pretty disappointing to hear. It's a bit of a nitpick that the call screening isn't using the new updated voice but it's important to me. Also that summarize feature sounds even more useful considering the amount of articles I read. I've spoken with other UK owners of Pixels and they seem pretty happy with the overall experience but the whole US centric model of these phones is really turning me off the more I read about how some features are just plain missing from their UK and EU counterparts. I guess the S24U is probably gonna be the full android experience for most non-US residents. I hope Google can make changes in the future. @@arranpbrown

[@arranpbrown]

Yeah, I get that - it's a fair point! And everyone is going to have their own dealbreakers. I was really disappointed about the summarise feature missing too. However, to be fair, it looks like it only ever summarises into 3 bullet points, which isn't always going to work for longer articles, so I think that's something they would need to fix in the future anyway. I think as long as you get a phone that you're happy with, then that's the main thing. Just pick whichever is right for you!

[@Ignozi]

Fair enough, for me it comes down to what deal I can get. With work vouchers and trade-in I can get the Pro for around £500 and the Ultra for around £779. The Pixel looks like the clear winner but the Ultra is pretty much the most powerful device you can get your hands on at the moment. Tough sell either way.@@arranpbrown

[@leviandhiro3596]

Theres probably some sort of legal issues that doesn't let the UK get some stuff

[@arranpbrown]

That's true - you might be right!

[@jontip]

Could we potemtially use a vpn and regotster the phone in the us to get the missing features ?

[@arranpbrown]

Not sure how that would work to be honest as you'd probably have to be connected to the US VPN perpetually, but could possibly work! Worth a try, but also a bit of a pain because everything would be in U.S. English 😅

[@lokeshr2615]

How's battery usage coming up in pixel 8.

[@arranpbrown]

I'm finding the battery usage acceptable for a day of standard usage, but I couldn't confidently call it 'good' - I think if you're really concerned about battery there are better alternatives out there that would give you better battery life! For everyday use though, the Pixel does the job! Cheers.

[@michaelball93]

Is the Gemini app ever going to come here? I thought the EU AI act that Google was waiting for before launching it here had passed already?

[@arranpbrown]

It’s possible they had to make some changes to the app before it met the requirements of the EU AI act, so I think there is still hope for it to be released. They may be waiting to announce it in more regions at Google IO as a ‘good news story’ - let’s keep our fingers crossed that that is the case as it’s only going to get better and I don’t want to miss out on it!

[@michaelball93]

​@@arranpbrownNoticed IO has been and gone and still no sign of Gemini expansion into the UK despite all of the attention it got at IO. Hope this doesn't mean that the Pixel 9 will launch in October with only a fraction of the features in the UK that it will have in the US.

[@arranpbrown]

Yeah, I'm pretty frustrated with this too. I'm concerned we might not get access to Gemini in the phones for a long time... Which would completely suck. I think all we can do now is wait and see what happens unfortunately, but if something else better comes along to the EU market, then I'd go for that instead!

[@michaelball93]

@@arranpbrown Want to give you one final heads up... I summoned Google Assistant the other day and received a popup asking me if I wanted to try Gemini, so now I have it on my phone without sideloading. It's still not in the Play Store, but at least things seem to be changing and Google's got their fingers out finally.

[@SoftPixel2047]

AI on device need more RAM I Don't Think Work right on 8GB RAM Smartphone

[@arranpbrown]

Fair enough - would be good to know if that's actually the case direct from Google though! I still think it would be possible if the model is efficient enough. Thanks for the comment!

[@wade_county]

Don't really care about Gemini, I want Video Boost, especially since it has to be sent to the cloud.

[@arranpbrown]

That's fair - I'm more keen for Gemini as I think I would definitely use that more than Video Boost, but I'm sure Video Boost would definitely come in handy if we could get that on Pixel 8 too!

[@xiaotonghuang6686]

We will be sacked and no more meetings 😂

[@abishop3875]

Gemini man

[@arranpbrown]

Wee bit o Woll Smoth is it?!

[@jamesmcdonald4228]

I will be giving the pixel a miss. Would be OK if you stayed in the USA so naa

[@arranpbrown]

Yeah, that's fair enough to be honest! I think if you're going to buy it, you've got to be okay with missing out on some of the features if you're outside the US, which kinda sucks!