- The Pixel 8 series launched last week with tons of new software features, like Magic Editor and Best Take.
- However, not every feature that Google planned to bring to the Pixel 8 could make it.
- Features like display output, 8K video recording, and 480fps slo-mo were scrapped or delayed before launch.
The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro were announced at last week’s Made by Google hardware event, but they’ve only just begun to reach the doorsteps of most buyers today. Now that the phones have officially launched, Google published the factory images and code needed to compile your own Android build from source, so we at Android Authority dug into the code to see if there’s anything interesting about the phones that we may have missed. Indeed, we discovered that Google scrapped several features for the Pixel 8 before launch, including two minor camera features and one major productivity feature.
Where’s the Pixel 8 desktop mode?
The one productivity feature Google cut that really grinds my gears is desktop mode support. Back in June, Android Authority contributor Kamila Wojciechowska reported that the Pixel 8 series would gain support for DisplayPort over USB-C. This feature, known as DisplayPort Alternate Mode, lets devices connect to external displays via USB-C and is what makes desktop mode experiences like Samsung DeX possible.
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