Pixel 8 will not receive Gemini Nano support due to ‘hardware limitations’

With the same Tensor G3 chip, Google's claim of "hardware limitations" preventing Gemini Nano on the Pixel 8 just doesn't add up.

The Google Pixel 8 is seen here. (Image: Zohaib Ahmed/The Indian Express)

A Google representative has addressed questions about its Gemini Nano language model and the Pixel 8 series. The representative bluntly stated that the non-Pro Pixel 8 model will not receive Gemini Nano support due to “hardware limitations.”

This decision raises eyebrows since both the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are powered by the same Tensor G3 chipset. The only major hardware differentiation is in RAM, with the Pixel 8 Pro boasting 12GB compared to 8GB in the standard Pixel 8. Most modern Android tasks can be handled smoothly with 8GB of RAM, making Google’s reasoning seem like a stretch.

Back in late February 2023, it was revealed that MediaTek’s Dimensity 8300 and 9300 chips had been updated to enable Gemini Nano capabilities. This fueled speculation that more affordable Android devices could soon benefit from the language model’s AI-powered features.

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When Gemini Nano debuted on the Pixel 8 Pro through the December 2023 Pixel Feature Drop, its initial use cases were relatively underwhelming. It provided smart reply suggestions in Gboard and a text summarisation tool for the Recorder app – useful additions but hardly groundbreaking implementations of generative AI.

As the Pixel 9 lineup approaches, Google will likely face pressure to equip both models with sufficient RAM to handle advanced AI workloads like Gemini Nano.

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