Back when the Pixel 8 Pro was first revealed, I vaguely remember reading that it featured a built-in temperature sensor. At the time, I thought that was weird, but I didn't really pay much attention to its existence. I figured that, like the unique Soli sensor from the Pixel 4, it would be around for a generation or two, then probably disappear.

Fast-forward to 2026, and the Pixel 10 Pro series still features a temperature sensor, even though a lot of Pixel users probably don't even know it exists. It's located on the back of the Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro, just under the flash on the rear camera island/visor (it's not included in base Pixels or the A series). It's the rare smartphone hardware feature that's hiding in plain sight in a very low-key way, but that is very easy to forget about.

Over the last few weeks, I've been playing around with the temperature sensor, and I've enjoyed how useful it can be. Is it the type of thing I couldn't live without? Definitely not, but it's still fun to mess around with.

You can measure the temperature of almost anything with the Pixel 10 Pro's sensor

It's more than just a health tool

While you can use the Pixel 10 Pro's temperature sensor on yourself, friends, and family (as long as you see the option in your app — see the note above), I find it's far more useful with other objects. The sensor algorithm has three official category settings: food, liquid, and cooking surfaces, opening it up to a wide variety of use cases. For example, ifyou're wondering whether the pan you just finished cooking with is cool enough to clean, or whether you can use it to cook something else yet, the temperature sensor can let you know (keep in mind that it maxes out at 392°F/200°C).

If there's a particularly cold area around your window or sliding door, you can also use the Pixel 10 Pro's temperature sensor and thermometer app to find the leak and patch it with a bit of caulking. I also find myself just checking the temperature of random things (I do the same thing with my Apple Watch Ultra 3's depth sensor when I'm swimming), whether it's the sun shining on my wooden balcony, my iPhone 17 Pro, which gets really hot when charging while CarPlay is running, or my ROG Xbox Ally X, which always seems to run shockingly hot when I'm playing AAA games.

Additionally, both my TV and the monitor I use in my office seem to be pretty hot all the time, so I've checked the temperatures of both displays with my Pixel 10 Pro. This information isn't integral to my life, but it's fun, and I admire Google for including such an odd sensor in its flagship smartphone for several years now.

The Pixel 11 Pro will likely ditch the temperature sensor

It was fun while it lasted

Recent rumors indicate that the Pixel 11 Pro likely won't include a temperature sensor. I'm not surprised, given I only recently remembered the smartphone even featured the sensor, despite it being present in every Pro model since the Pixel 8 Pro. The fact that we're entering an era of cost-cutting as the ongoing RAMpocalypse rages has likely also contributed to this decision, if the rumor proves accurate.

Google is likely cutting everything it can from the Pixel 11 Pro to keep costs down, and a sensor that a lot of people don't even know exists being the first to go makes a lot of sense. Hopefully, Google swaps it for something equally weird, like an IR blaster, though I don't see that happening.