The Pixel 8 Pro is one goofy way to take your temperature – The Verge

Earlier this week, Google updated the Pixel 8 Pro to let its strange new temperature sensor finally take readings of human bodies. I regret to inform you that, having used it, it doesnt make this feature any less baffling.

To measure body temperature, you have to sweep the phones infrared temperature sensor over the side of your forehead, right above the temporal artery. So far, nothing super odd here. Just this month, I got to check out the Withings BeamO, a 4-in-1 multiscope that also has you scan the same kind of sensor over the same artery to measure your temperature. The difference is the BeamO was quite easy to use, while the Pixel 8 Pro was incredibly finicky.

This is because the phones temperature sensor is located in the rear camera array. That makes total sense if youre using it to scan objects (though again, why?). But if youre trying to take your own temperature, its difficult to gauge if youre doing anything correctly because you cant actually see the screen. Google includes an instructional video, which shows you just how close youre supposed to hold it to your forehead (very close) and how it needs to be tilted at a slight angle. The phone will try to walk you through all of this. Once youre close enough, the phone will vibrate when its time to swipe the phone over your forehead (without touching) toward your temple. You can enable voice cues, but you still have to know where to tap and how fast to move. Its not what Id call intuitive, and youll likely need to try it a few times to get the hang of it.

Theres a reason people use the front-facing camera to take selfies, even if the rear camera takes higher-quality photos. Just from a user experience, this is best suited for taking someone elses temperature or, rather, taking someone elses temperature while using their phone because its weird to keep other peoples health data on your phone. You have the option of syncing your data with the Fitbit app, and it saves any readings from the past week by default in the native app.

Outside of the fiddly user experience, accuracy is another question mark. In this screenshot, my colleague Parker Ortolanis Pixel 8 Pro told him his body temperature was 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Granted, Parker said hed just been outside for this particular reading, but thats bordering on hypothermia. Its also highly unlikely. I also watched Parker take readings from his forearm and palm. Neither of those areas should have worked, but the phone didnt stop him. (The feature is only calibrated for the forehead, so you shouldnt trust results from other body parts.)

To be fair, this is one of the issues with temporal artery temperature readings in general. While theyre quick and generally accurate, they can easily be thrown off by things like direct sunlight, cold environments, or even sweaty foreheads. User error can also impact readings, and as I mentioned, this is one finicky way to measure your body temperature.

For this feature to make it to the public, Google says it got De Novo FDA clearance. Thats the same kind Apple got for the Apple Watch Series 4s EKG feature, but it mostly means that its a low to moderate risk device (aka generally safe) that doesnt have a similar equivalent yet. That said, the phone includes several disclaimers within the temperature app. You can see from these screenshots that Google notes that temperature readings may vary and are most accurate when done properly. There are also disclaimers that readings are general guides only, and on other screens, the app notes it cant detect any illness or replace advice from a healthcare provider.

All of this is to say, I cant imagine the average person using this feature. Ostensibly, this is something that Google started building in 2020 and 2021 a time when restaurants and other public spaces were scanning peoples temperatures to screen for covid-19. And if itd been around then, perhaps wed be thinking of this feature in a different way. For better or worse, I cant remember the last time a restaurant or event space took my temperature.

You could argue that having this on your phone is a matter of convenience. If Im on a plane and feeling a bit feverish, I probably wouldnt have a thermometer on hand. Theoretically, I could then whip out a Pixel 8 Pro and proceed to have an awkward time using the rear camera and sensor to measure my temperature. Thats perhaps the one instance where this would make sense and even then, a precautionary Advil and the good ol back of the hand to the forehead would probably suffice.

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The Pixel 8 Pro is one goofy way to take your temperature - The Verge