The Pixel 8 is honestly one of the best-looking phones out there in the market, and if it weren't for the Galaxy S24 Ultra, that is the phone I would have picked for what Google has to offer. The camera island is something that really attracts me, but the one thing that I have always wondered about is why Google decided to go with a glossy camera island on a phone that is matte. Well, sure, it creates a contrast, but it also attracts many fingerprints, which people do not like.
This Pixel 8 mod is the stuff of nightmares but looks stunning
That is why a Reddit user actually came up with a clever and dangerous way to get rid of the glossy surface, and this was done by using Scotch Brite pads. The user made sure that this is not just done on a single device but three of the devices, so we are getting both Pixel 8 devices as well as Pixel 7 being subjected to the same treatment. Although the phones look amazing, I can imagine how painful this must be.
Now, I remember doing something like this, but I did it with a Spigen Thin Fit case that, for some time, started losing its matte finish, and I had to sand down the plastic finish. But it was a cheap case and not a Pixel 8 Pro, which still costs a good chunk of money.
As much as I love this mod, I would not advise anyone to put their Pixel 8 through the same treatment. Resale value aside, there are a lot of risks associated with the process. Based on how brittle and coarse the Scotch Brite is, it can easily go ahead and damage the camera lens, and that is going to be a pretty expensive repair. So, the safest bet here is that if you are not good at something like this, don't do it as it could lead to your device being severely damaged.
You can also put a case on your Pixel 8 if the glossy finish is something of an annoyance because that should fix the issue you are facing. The point here is that it is far better to go for safer mods that don't put your device at risk.
