Pixel 8 Pro’s Thermometer app and temperature sensor can finally work as intended

The Pixel 8 Pro’s temperature sensor has been nothing more than another Pixel gimmick. Until now, the sensor and Google’s accompanying Thermometer app were only capable of measuring object temperatures. Google made it very clear that it doesn’t work on humans because the company didn’t have the necessary FDA approvals. All that is changing today with the latest Pixel feature drop, the first one of the year for Pixel devices.

Google says its temperature sensor can now record the human body temperature through the Thermometer app. The company is calling it a “medical-grade feature,” which could only mean that it’s secured FDA clearance.

Pixel 8 Pro users can now scan their foreheads (or someone else’s) with their phones to get a body temperature reading. Users can also save their results to their Fitbit profile for a “deeper understanding” of their health and wellness.

While Google promises accurate temperature readings, we can’t just take the company’s word for it. When we previously tested the Pixel 8 Pro temperature sensor against an industrial thermometer, we found that it delivered wildly fluctuating and mostly inaccurate readings. So yes, we wouldn’t rely on it blindly to check for a fever. We’ll update you on its accuracy once we’ve thoroughly tested the new capability.

Meanwhile, a recent poll on our website showed that Pixel 8 Pro users don’t use the temperature sensor that often. Most of our readers said they tried it out a couple of times and then forgot about it. If Google has indeed done human temperature readings right, people may start using it more often.