Google Pixel 8 may have revamped Google Camera UI, only eSIMs in some regions

Stock Android lovers await the Pixel flagship smartphones launch every year with bated breath, and this time around is no different. The Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are expected to launch globally in October, and there’s already plenty of buzz around these anticipated launches. There have been several leaks so far which suggest hardware and software upgrades and changes. 

Also read: Google Pixel 8 coming soon: Audio Magic Eraser and colour options revealed

Now, two separate reports have surfaced that suggest new changes in the upcoming Pixel 8 series. Firstly, the Pixel 8 series is expected to ship with a redesigned Google Camera app user interface, and secondly, the Pixel 8 series could allegedly ditch physical SIMs altogether in select regions! 

Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro: redesigned Google Camera App UI

The Google Pixel 8 and 8 Pro are expected to feature camera upgrades over their predecessors, and now they will also allegedly ship with a revamped camera user interface. A new leak gives users a sneak peek into the redesigned UI. This is the first major redesign of the camera app in years! 

Image Credit: Android Authority

Thanks to images shared by Android Authority, we see a clear distinction between the video and photo modes in the Google Camera app. The carousel down below is completely different for both modes – Photos has options such as Night Sight, Portrait, Exposure, Pano, etc while Videos have options like Slow Motion, Blur, Pan, etc. 

Image credit - Android Authority

Google has also switched the location of the ‘Camera Switch’ button with the ‘Photo Preview’ button. So, their positions have basically been swapped and users could take some time to get used to this change. If you have to access the camera settings menu, you would now need to swipe the screen from the bottom up and press the new settings icon in the bottom left of the screen. 

Also read: Smartphone or digital thermometer? Google Pixel 8 Pro will be both!

There are a few more changes such as the Motion tab being split into Long Exposure and Action Pan, Cinematic Pan now being called just ‘Pan’, the location of stabilisation modes being changed, and more. It will be interesting to see how users adapt to these new changes while also getting acclimatised to the new cameras – allegedly a 50 MP Samsung GN2 main camera, and a brand new 64 MP ultrawide on the Pro mode. 

Pixel 8 and 8 Pro could switch to eSIM-only models in some regions

A new report indicates that the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro could ditch physical SIM cards altogether in favour of eSIM-only models. However, this feature could be limited to only some regions. This discovery comes courtesy Mishaal Rahman, who took to Twitter to explain that previously leaked renders by Steve Hemmerstoffer (a.k.a. OnLeaks) in collaboration with Smartprix don’t have any visible SIM card slots on the left side, as seen on the Pixel 7 series.

Take this with a grain of salt, but...the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro might be eSIM only, at least in some regions. Nobody seems to have noticed that the renders that @OnLeaks published are missing SIM card slots on the left side. The renders he previously published of the Pixel 6,… pic.twitter.com/jlsyqTD8tC

— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) August 20, 2023

He asks his readers to “take this with a grain of salt”, but he feels that this isn’t an accidental omission but could actually indicate that some models of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro could launch without a physical SIM card slot. The renders posted by the same leaker for models such as the Pixel 6, 6 Pro, 6a, 7, 7 Pro, and 7a all had SIM card slots, so this may actually indicate that the new 8 series models may actually omit the SIM slots altogether.

He also states that the Pixel 8 pro video leaked by Kamila (@Za_Raczke) has a SIM card tray on the left side – so either the OnLeaks renders could be a mistake or the SIM slot is removed only in certain regions.

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