Users trying to install popular performance benchmarking apps on Google's new Pixel 8 phones report being unable to do so. Sanjiv Sathiah, for Notebook Check:
In a highly unusual move, it has been revealed that Google has blocked reviewers of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro from installing popular benchmarks including Geekbench and 3D Mark. Geekbench is a popular benchmark that assesses CPU performance in smartphone silicon, while 3DMark is a benchmark that assesses the GPU performance of a chip. Running benchmarks like these is a typical part of the review process and the review to help formulate their overall assessment of a device based on both objective data and qualitative analysis based on real world usage. … However, blocking reviewers and ordinary users from downloading and installing popular benchmarking apps is suggestive of a company not prepared to stand by the marketing claims it has made about the Tensor G3. Otherwise, it wouldn't be trying to impede reviewers and users from being able to test those claims themselves.
A good example of the Streisand Effect. I would never bother posting about something as boring as phone benchmarks except as part of a story reporting terrible performance experienced by users. But reports of Google preventing reviewers and users from running the benchmarks at all? Up it goes. If the benchmarks are not legit, there is a PR problem. If the benchmarks are legit, there is a product problem.
