The Pixel 8 Pro's highlight feature is a... thermometer?

One thing curiously missing from Google I/O 2023 were teasers about the upcoming Google Pixel 8 series. We didn’t hear anything about these upcoming phones at the event, which was a little disappointing. Fret not, as we now have new leaks to keep us entertained. The latest leak suggests that the Google Pixel 8 Pro could come with a thermometer on the back.

According to Kuba Wojciechowski (via 91Mobiles), the Google Pixel 8 Pro could come with an infrared thermometer on the back. This is showcased through a leaked tutorial video for the feature.

The infrared temperature sensor is located below the flash on the back of the Pixel 8 Pro. To measure your temperature, the tutorial advises that you remove any clothing or accessories from your forehead. You have to bring the sensor close enough to your forehead without making contact with the skin. You then begin taking measurements as you slowly move the phone from your forehead to your temple. The phone will provide audio and vibration cues throughout the process.

The report on the leak mentions that the IR thermometer will only be available on the Pixel 8 Pro, mainly because it requires the specific hardware sensor to work, which is absent on the Pixel 8. The leak also mentions that the phone will be able to measure body temperature as well as the temperature of objects. Data is expected to be stored locally and will be handled through the Android Private Compute Core.

The tutorial video also brings us our first good look at the real-world design of the Pixel 8 Pro, outside of leaked renders. We get a good look at the front, back, and the right side of the phone. There was lots of speculation after the leaked renders showed a fourth sensor, but we now know that it is the IR temperature sensor.

The camera visor glass now accommodates all three cameras together instead of leaving the zoom sensor out. We also see an obfuscated logo on the back of the phone. However, this could just be a fake logo that is seen on early prototypes of phones. The front of the phone is also shown to be flat, unlike the curved edges seen on the Pixel 7 Pro.

The Google Pixel 8 Pro will not be the first phone that can measure temperature. We’ve seen HONOR do the same on the HONOR Play 4. But Google’s adoption of the same will bring the feature to a wider audience.