Capturing Magic: How PIXEL 8 is Charismatic Even to iPhone's Forebears

This shows the latest PIXEL 8 smartphone in all its nausea-inducing magic. iPhone’s parents Mr and Mrs ‘i’ can’t help but gasp in admiration. Google has once again conjured an entertaining chapter in its #BestPhonesForever series. It’s light-hearted fun: light-hearted fun with a point. The point being to draw attention to the special weirdness of the PIXEL. Let’s consider some of the features that make the PIXEL 8 a technological enchantress.

Google’s Winning Streak with The #BestPhonesForever Series

It’s been a joy to watch as a marketing gambit, showcasing a lighthearted rivalry and friendship between iPhone and PIXEL. Each promo allows us to see a quirky PIXEL feature that wins the iPhone over; in this series, the iPhone character tipping his metaphorical hat is a familiar sight. But it is the latest one – in which the ‘i’ family tries to keep the increasingly powerful, magical PIXEL at bay – that proves most interesting, opening up a familial saga for the ‘i’ lot.

The Alluring Tale of the Audio Magic Eraser

In this tale, though, the Audio Magic Eraser is the hero’s wand. After PIXEL graciously demonstrates its efficacy, muting the relentless whine of a blender and a lathe, it finally removes every last sound, as if a whisper were coming from the farthest reaches of the galaxy. This leaves us wondering what kind of magic is inside the PIXEL 8 and, at the same time, it signals Google’s readiness to double down on innovation and, hopefully, on user delight.

A Glimpse into the iPhone's Legacy Through Mr. And Mrs. "i"

The PIXEL 8 ad introduces its users to the same lineage of the 2007 iPhone, but in a delightful way by using the characters who act out the spirits of the original 2007 iPhone models. Mrs ‘i’, wearing a shiny pastel pink case that screams ‘old school’ adds a touch of nostalgia. This creative wrapping not only shows the pedigree of the smartphone lineage, but also shows where the PIXEL 8 sits and moves forward above the world.

Exclusive Treasures Buried in the PIXEL 8

The ad also hammers home the PIXEL 8 and PIXEL 8 Pro as the inheritance of the Audio Magic Eraser feature, reinforcing PIXEL’s unique value proposition. It’s no wonder that, in a market full of billions of smartphones vying for consumer attention, Google’s prowess of differentiating its devices via unique, user-oriented features continues to thrive.

Fanfare and the Quest for Innovation

This ad campaign has proved popular. It has been viewed millions of times, and counts as one of its fans. As people await news of next releases, and as the rumour mills tick over with news about upcoming iPhone models, the PIXEL 8 series occupies its own corner of the market as a leader in the collaborative pairing of creativity and technology.

The Ongoing Saga of Technological One-Upmanship

Every instalment in the series is a shrug, a gentle jab reminding us of the fraternal frienemy relationship that drives so much change along. With every post that Google digs up from iPhone’s past, and imagines from its future, we are reminded that the canon of tech innovation has never had any sort of endpoint, that we just keep churning out the same things over and over. It’s an endless process of one-upmanship, not just between brands and brands, but between brands and themselves.

Understanding the PIXEL

Fundamentally, the PIXEL is a vision of what Google considers the perfect smartphone experience, in terms of the marriage of humanoid capabilities with AI and machine learning, and also in the way that technology can be both a tool and a spectacular feat, both a workmanlike time-saver and a machine that can magically transform your jumbled and garbled recording into a crisp, clean morning radio broadcast. With the next PIXEL – the PIXEL 8 or whatever it’s called – Google would like to stretch the limits of what the user thinks is possible, so that every moment spent with the phone is as effortless as the one before.

That is the story of the PIXEL, and of the PIXEL 8’s magic, which continues today. The company that wasn’t pursuing magic is now pursuing it. Google has evolved into a company chasing the best in engineering, the best in user experience – and, in a small way, a bit of magic. For now, let’s stand in awe of the magic we have. Let’s watch the video of the best photorealistic AI robot yet made. Whenever you look at any computer, be it an iPhone, Mac, PIXEL, Galaxy, or PC, remember what’s going on inside, and how much room there is for the next magic trick. Don’t see Apple versus Android. See them both.