It's probably the RAM - 8GB on Pixel 8, 12GB on the Pro. But also, companies do software locks all the time, eg various software features not available on the cheaper ones.
> The main differences between the two phones are screen size (6.7 inches versus 6.2), battery size, a different camera loadout, and 8GB of RAM versus 12GB. RAM is the only known difference you can point to that could create a processing limitation, but Gemini Nano also runs on the Galaxy S24 series, where the base model has 8GB of RAM. RAM being the issue would mean Samsung phones are somehow more RAM efficient than Pixel phones, which is hard to believe.
Not necessarily. It’s at least possible that the overall experience is degraded in the low RAM system, and Samsung is willing to overlook this… which isn’t hard to believe.
It's probably a safe bet to say that the phone itself is perfectly capable of running the raw model, but not necessarily while remaining usable or without disrupting other features.