This revelation contradicts Google's marketing hype at the Pixel 8 launch event five months ago, where it claimed that the custom Google Tensor 3 SoC was designed specifically to bring Google's AI breakthroughs directly to Pixel users. The company's failure to clearly communicate the differences in AI processing capabilities between the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro at launch has led to accusations of misleading consumers. The situation also raises questions about the future of the smaller Google Pixel 8, as Google has promised seven years of OS updates for the new Pixels.
Key takeaways:
- Google's latest AI model, Gemini Nano, cannot run on the smaller Pixel 8 due to unspecified 'hardware limitations', despite being able to run on the larger Pixel 8 Pro and other high-end devices.
- The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro have the same Google Tensor SoC and run the same software, with the main differences being screen size, battery size, camera loadout, and RAM.
- Google's communication at the launch of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro was not clear enough about the differences in AI processing capabilities between the two models.
- Google's promise of seven years of OS updates for the new Pixels is already being questioned, as features are being stripped down due to 'hardware limitations' just five months after launch.