The most striking (and curious) hardware addition on the Pixel 8 Pro is a thermometer that, at launch, can “measure the surface temperature of everyday objects.”
The temperature sensor appears on the bottom-right corner of the Pixel 8 Pro’s camera bar. Appearing underneath the flash, that circle mostly blends in with the polished aluminum frame and doesn’t stand out.
The Pixel 8 Pro gets a new Thermometer app that has you select what material you’re measuring to allow for the most precise reading. There is a “Default” setting, but the choices are: Food & organic, Beverages & water, Cast iron, Ceramic & glass, Matte metal, Shiny metal, Plastic & rubber, Fabric, Wood, and Walls & windows.
You then point the sensor “within 5 cm / 2 inches of the object for best results.” There’s accompanying on-screen feedback with a pulsating icon that’s positioned roughly at the same location as the actual hardware on the back.
The app reminds you to “practice caution if the object is hot,” like when cooking, and that “smaller objects may require closer proximity for more accuracy.”
Accuracy may vary based on the selected material, distance from the object, and with temperatures approaching -20°C and 150°C (-5°F and 300°F).
The temperature then appears with the ability to quickly take another reading. Google imagines this capability as being useful when cooking or finding out how hot concrete/pavement is for the safety and comfort of pets.
Google has submitted the Pixel 8 Pro Thermometer to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take body readings and will add that capability to the app once approved. Until that happens, the company is not sharing what that functionality precisely looks like.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Comments