Yes, you read that right. You know those thermal scanning “guns” every establishment seems to have bought during this pandemic? The Google Pixel 8 Pro may be coming with a built-in thermometer, effectively turning into a COVID-19 symptom scanner. Is it really useful or just another party trick?

This rumor began when a rather convincing concept video popped up on Twitter. It was surprisingly comprehensive for a leaked video, leading to people believing that it could actually be a feature test from within Google. The mechanics of the Google Pixel 8 Pro and its built-in thermometer are simple.

The first thing to do is open the “Body Temperature” feature. Now we see the apparent “Google Pixel 8 Pro’s” rear design, which is heavily inspired by the current generation Google Pixel 7 Pro. Once you spot the sensor on the rear, then the person whose body temp is being gathered also needs to remove all facial accessories.

After that, the sensor must be placed as close to the forehead as possible without touching. Then, a tap will trigger the countdown clock. The video also mentions that the result could be available in as little as 4 seconds.

Should this be true, then this built-in thermometer on the upcoming Google Pixel 8 Pro is quite useful to have. Sure, it’s a bit late to the party considering we’re at the tail-end of the pandemic, but it’s still an interesting and useful tool to have.

Of course, this was met with controversy. People questioned the possible accuracy of this feature since the Tensor chips themselves run at high temperatures. That could have an adverse effect on the readings that this provides. Meanwhile, others hoped that this feature be implemented on the Pixel Watch as well.

What do you think? Is it a feature worth adding?