Pixel 9 Pro’s thermometer now works on humans, but is still strange

It’s official: your Pixel phone can now measure your body temperature, adding a whole new level of functionality to this not-totally-useful feature that was introduced on the Pixel 8 Pro nearly a year ago.

The Pixel Thermometer app has been able to measure the temperature of objects since its inception and questionable inclusion in the Pixel 8 Pro, but without the official FDA-approved human temperature readings, it has felt more like a gimmick than anything. Seeing the temperature sensor present once again on the Pixel 9 Pro was a bit shocking, but now that human temperatures can be measured, at least this odd feature on Google’s latest phones isn’t totally useless any longer.

Real world use cases

Let’s face it, we’ve all been there. You or a loved one is feeling a bit under the weather, and the first thing you find yourself searching for is a thermometer. Now, if you have a Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro or Pixel 9 Pro XL, that thermometer is literally in your pocket and ready to use.

With Pixel 9 Pro’s advanced sensors, you can now get a temperature reading with a simple forehead scan. The process is quick and painless, and the app even guides you through it with clear instructions.

The accuracy is pretty impressive, too. Google claims the Pixel’s readings are within ±0.3°C of a medical-grade temporal artery thermometer. That’s not bad for a device that also happens to make phone calls and browse the web.

I can see this feature actually being pretty useful in a variety of situations. Parents can quickly check their child’s temperature without the fuss of a traditional thermometer, folks can monitor their own health more closely, and it could even play a role in public health efforts during flu season or another spike in COVID cases.

More than anything, this update finally gives the thermometer on both the Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro a truly useful function. While testing the surface temperatures on random objects was fun for about 5 minutes, having a thermometer in your pocket could prove truly useful down the road. Odd? Sure, but at least it’s quite a bit more beneficial to users, now.