FlashDim, Google One, and extra

The Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Professional deliver an improved digicam expertise, a quicker SoC, and a complete host of enhancements that may take your Android 14 expertise to new heights. Whether or not you’ve already pre-ordered your Pixel 8 or are simply curious, we’ve picked out the 5 greatest apps for Pixel 8 customers. 

Google One

Worth: Free / Subscription

Okay, so technically, the Google One app isn’t that necessary. It’s a easy app that permits you to management your Google One subscription, see how a lot area you’re utilizing, and so forth. That mentioned, we completely advocate a Google One subscription for Pixel customers. In any case, you’ve gotten a superb digicam within the palm of your hand; it’s additionally nice at video. This all takes up cupboard space, and Google One ensures you’ll be able to truly preserve authentic pictures, although you may as well select to compress them if you’re apprehensive about working out of room. A plan begins at simply $1.99 a month for the 100GB plan, $2.99 a month for 200GB, $9.99 a month for 2TB, and 5TB for $24.99 a month. You additionally get entry to the Google One VPN in any respect fee tiers as a pleasant bonus.

Google Opinion Rewards

Worth: Free 

The Google Opinion Rewards app is ideal for Pixel homeowners because it’s a simple method to get cash you need to use in the direction of apps, video games, and even your Google One subscription. We already talked about how helpful Google One is for storing recordsdata, photographs, and video. However do you actually need one other subscription it’s a must to pay each month? The excellent news is that Opinion Rewards usually provides you easy surveys that take only a few minutes and pay you for it. It’s simple to earn sufficient to pay for the subscription and also have a little left over. I haven’t paid for my Google One subscription out of pocket even as soon as, all due to this app. 

Though Snapseed might use a significant design overhaul to assist modernize it a bit, don’t underestimate this app. That is an easy-to-use photograph editor and whereas the Pixel has restricted instruments of its personal, I nonetheless discover myself utilizing this to rapidly resize pictures, enhance white steadiness, and way more. The expertise is simple to be taught and offers you with fairly a couple of choices for a free app. It’s additionally out there on iOS, making it an ideal cross-platform device for many who personal an iPad or one other iOS machine and need a constant photograph modifying expertise. 

The Pixel 8 has an honest GPU and might deal with just about each cell sport with relative ease. Nonetheless, what in case you’re on the lookout for a extra console-like expertise? That’s the place Xbox Sport Cross comes into play, providing you with entry to a whole lot of Cloud video games by way of streaming. This contains latest hits like Starfield, and even indie darlings like Plague Story: Requiem. The catch is you’ll want a stable web connection, an Xbox Sport Cross Final Cross ($16.99 a month), and a Bluetooth gaming controller. When you don’t thoughts overcoming these hurdles, you’ll basically have a  cell Xbox of types, although clearly, you received’t have full entry to each Xbox sport. 

Certainly one of my favourite issues about my Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 was the flexibility to simply enhance or lower the depth of the flashlight mode proper from the short settings. When you’re on the lookout for the same stage of management for the Pixel 8, you received’t discover it baked in. Nevertheless, FlashDim is an effective way so as to add the identical kind of performance. Along with controlling brightness, you’ll additionally discover a couple of further options like a built-in SOS operate and the flexibility so as to add a fast tile for quicker entry. That is an app I can personally advocate and use usually with my present every day driver, a Pixel 7. 

Extra nice Pixel apps value trying out

Whereas the above have been 5 of one of the best apps for the Pixel 8, there are lots of extra apps value trying out on Google Play. On the lookout for extra options? We advocate trying out our guides to one of the best Android video games and Android apps. As a little bit of a bonus, listed below are 5 different app options along with the core options above: 

• Google Keep: From making grocery lists to reminders and how-tos, Hold an easy-to-use answer for all of your notes. 
• Spotify: Arguably the perfect streaming music participant, although it’s greatest advantages require a subscription. Certainly one of my favorites is the advisable playlists and ‘radio modes’ for my favourite bands. 
• Microsoft SwiftKey: This might be the right match if you’re on the lookout for a extremely customizable keyboard. Better of all it’s free.
• Pocket Casts: This is among the hottest podcast apps and has an easy-to-use UI. This might make it excellent for Pixel customers, particularly with Google Podcasts being shelved.
• Streaming apps: Not only one suggestion however we advocate grabbing all of your favourite streaming apps comparable to Netflix, Hulu, Paramount Plus, Peacock, and Max.