Pixel 8 Is Apparently the First Phone to Feature Samsung’s E7 OLED Panels

Almost two weeks after the Pixel 8 ‘never seen before‘ series was announced, Google has released the source code for the device along with Pixel Watch 2, which reveals some interesting tidbits about the insides of these new devices.

While the code did somewhat reveal that Google dumped the 8K/30fps mode for this year’s smartphones, it also brought to light that the Pixels of this year are the first ones to feature Samsung’s E7 OLED panels.

Just to be clear, the Samsung S23 Ultra and the iPhone 14 Pros do use the older E6 panel technology, which would also explain the hype surrounding the displays.

Interestingly enough, Google decided to hop on the “naming everything” bandwagon this year, announcing their “Actua” displays for the first time in the Pixel 8 series. To be fair, these Actua displays are genuinely impressive, putting Google on par with industry leaders.

Traditionally, hardware really never wasn’t Google’s strong area, and they predominantly leaned on their software expertise. However, the Pixel 8 has significantly raised the bar. These displays now boast a peak brightness exceeding 2000 nits, surpassing the Samsung S23 Ultra‘s 1750 nits and coming on-par with this year’s iPhone 15 Pro(s).

In fact, DXOMARK currently lists the Pixel 8’s displays as the best in the industry right now (154 pts), with the Z Fold 5 sitting at third place (152 pts), and the iPhone 15 Pro Max at 6th (149 pts) .

Just before the launch of the iPhone 15 series, we reported on how Apple had shifted most of their OLED panel orders for the whole of 15 series to Samsung, after BOE failed to meet Apple’s requirements. If, according to the code, the Pixel 8 is the first phone to feature OLED E7 panels, then the iPhone 15 Pros might not feature the same E7s, but rather might be using older technology.

This is all we know for now, but rest assured that we will keep you updated as new information becomes available.