Google Pixel news roundup: New Pixel 8 Panorama UI, 'Keep portrait mode' pulled from Phone app, plus a major Pixel Buds discount

Google has been busy tweaking the Pixel experience this week, bringing a fancy new camera UI to older phones while snatching away a much-requested dialer feature. Whether you are looking for better photos or a deal on new earbuds, there is plenty to catch up on.

Pixel 8 gets a Panorama glow-up

The Pixel 8 is finally catching up to its younger sibling. As highlighted in a report from 9to5Google, the redesigned Panorama mode that debuted with the Pixel 9 is now rolling out to the Pixel 8 series.

This update arrives via version 10.2 of the Pixel Camera app. The new interface looks a lot like the old Photo Sphere mode that Google retired back in 2023.

Instead of a continuous, shaky sweep, you now follow a series of dots on the screen. The UI includes a helpful level indicator to keep your horizons straight while you move.

I’m particularly excited about this because it finally integrates Night Sight. This means your low-light wide shots will benefit from the HDR+ pipeline rather than relying on lower-quality video frames.

It is a huge win for landscape photographers who haven’t upgraded to the latest hardware yet.

Google pulls a helpful Phone feature

Not all the news is about additions, though. We previously reported a new “Keep portrait mode on calls” setting designed to stop the Phone app from flipping into landscape mode.

This was meant to address a common frustration where the dialer UI would shift if you moved too much during a call. Unfortunately, 9to5Google notes that Google has already rolled this back for beta users.

The setting has vanished from the display options in the latest beta version. I also don’t see it on a Pixel 8 unit. It is a bit of a bummer for anyone who hates accidental rotations.

Pixel Buds Pro 2 hit a rare low

If you have been eyeing some new audio gear, now is the time to strike. Android Authority spotted a rare 28% discount on the Pixel Buds Pro 2, bringing the price down to just $165.04.

That is a total of $63.96 off the retail price. It is the second-best deal we have ever seen for these flagship earbuds.

The Hazel color gets the biggest price cut on Amazon, though other colors are still on sale for about $169.99. These buds feature the Tensor A1 chip and a much-improved design with comfortable wingtips.

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