Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
The Pixel’s thermometer is one of those features that doesn’t come with a clear job description. It’s not like a camera or a fingerprint reader, where you instantly know why it’s part of your device. It sits on the back of the phone with no single, obvious purpose, which might explain why many Pixel owners forget it’s even there.
But, as it turns out, lots of others are using it in all sorts of ways. A recent Reddit thread asking how the thermometer “contributes to your life” spiralled into an interesting catalogue of real-world uses, from checking toddler fevers to proving a hotel room’s AC was broken. That thread sparked our curiosity, with my colleague Rita using the Pixel 10 Pro XL to track down potential insulation problems at home. She also asked you how you tend to use the thermometer in an article poll, and it turns out this supposedly gimmicky feature is surprisingly helpful. We’ve compiled a diverse range of uses here.
A feature that divides the internet
Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority
In the aforementioned Reddit thread, the responses fell into two broad camps. The first looked to be the larger one: people who simply don’t use it. Some didn’t know the feature existed, others weren’t interested and quickly forgot about it, while a few wished Google had used the hardware space for something else entirely, like an IR blaster or a LiDAR sensor. It’s clear the thermometer isn’t a part of the Pixel experience for many owners.
The second camp had a very different relationship with it. Parents were especially vocal. They talked about using the phone to do quick fever checks, especially when a child is asleep or when the household thermometer has gone missing. It also came up for all the smaller parenting moments, such as getting bath water right, checking bottles, or making sure a hot drink won’t burn a small tongue.
People used the Pixel to gather evidence when a hotel room’s air conditioner wasn’t working properly.
The kitchen crowd was right behind them. People said they check the surface temperature of cast-iron pans, flat-top grills, freshly poured coffee, reheated leftovers, and anything else that looked a bit hot. One Redditor even said the thermometer appears regularly in their French fry review videos, which was not on our bingo card.
Homeowners like Rita also chipped in, scanning walls and window frames for cold spots, comparing different rooms, or verifying that a charger or appliance isn’t running hotter than it should. A couple of people even used the Pixel to gather evidence when a hotel room’s air conditioner wasn’t working properly.
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