Google Pixel 8 features can now be tried out on older Pixels in the form of a new magnifier app available for download from the Play Store.

A new and improved version of this app was unveiled at Made by Google last week, but it is not exclusive to the Pixel 8; Pixel 5 and later models can also get the app, but unfortunately the Pixel Fold is excluded for now.

At the heart of the Magnifier app is a way to zoom in or out (between 0.5x and 8x) and take pictures of things that cannot easily be seen. These images are not stored in a gallery, so there is no need to fill up your phone's storage with images you don't need to keep for long.

This version of the app now has a low-light mode and an adjustable flashlight. This is great if you are trying to read something in the dark and don't want to blind yourself or others.

Eleven different color filters have also been added for better viewing. In the settings, you can choose what you want to see in the main app interface, giving you quick access to only what is useful to you.

Contrast and brightness controls are also in the same menu, allowing you to further adjust the viewability, much like editing a photo.

If that's not smart enough for you, Google Lens is also built into the app, allowing you to search for things related to what's in front of you.

With these upgrades, Magnifier seems like an even better way to make Pixel phones easier to use. It is unfortunate that this app is not available on more Android phones. Hopefully, more phone manufacturers will follow Google's lead and encourage them to create apps with comparable functionality.

If you are interested in Google's new phone, you can pre-order the Pixel 8 until October 12. You can also see our hands-on review of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro to see our initial thoughts on these phones before the full review.