Google has announced a hardware change for its new Pixel phone, getting rid of physical SIM cards and replace them exclusively with eSIMs.
Following the summer marketing cycle, Google and other major phone manufacturers are releasing their new product line. Gizmodo reports:
The summer of foldables has started fizzling out, and now we’re moving on to the next batch of flagship phones. Google’s Pixel 8/8 Pro is expected to be the next major Android smartphone release this fall. And it might be Google’s first eSIM-only smartphone. Apple went eSIM-only with the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro last year after touting the extra security benefits of eSIM-only devices.
Noted source code tinkerer Mishaal Rahman tweeted a theory that the March 2023 renders of the Pixel 8/8 Pro did not show SIM slots. Unlike previous Pixel devices, including the recently launched Pixel Fold, there doesn’t seem to be a SIM slot present in the images of the phone. Rahman also noticed that previous Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 renderings from similar sources did account for a SIM slot. Could it be? Is Google joining Apple by ditching the SIM slot in favor of eSIM only? Will the Pixel’s change spark a trend among other Android phone makers?
E-SIMs are far more secure than traditional chips, making cloning much more difficult. Google is also releasing a new improved camera app. Notebook Check has more:
Kamila Wojciechowska has revealed screenshots of a revised Google Camera app, which will reputedly debut in time for the releases of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. As the embedded images below show, Google has improved the visual delineations between photo and video modes by adding a small toggle that sits beneath the app’s various camera modes. For some reason, the company has also switched the gallery and front-facing/rear-facing camera shortcuts, which may have become muscle memory at this point for Pixel regulars.
Similarly, Google has inverted the camera settings menu swipe gesture up. For at least the last four years, this menu could be brought up by swiping down within the viewfinder. However, the menu will now appear with a swipe from the bottom, effectively pulling the settings menu into view. Alternatively, Google has integrated a small settings icon that it has placed on the same line as the camera/video toggle.
Android is a global leader in smartphone usage and a majority of the population use Google email services. Google’s own Pixel phone remains lagging behind other Android competitors and the iPhone.
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