Google Pixel 4 launched
October 17, 2019Google’s Pixel 4 is here and its a welcomed improvement over last year’s phones. Gone are the hideous screen notches on both the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL models, and in their places thick top chins. This section houses the front selfie camera as well as the search giant’s new radar sensor. Users have to solely rely on face unlock to unlock their phones due to the absence of a fingerprint sensor.
Besides face unlock, the radar sensor is utilized for Motion Sense, which is a feature that enables users to use hand gestures to accomplish certain tasks. Waving your hand in certain motions over the phone, allows you skip songs, snooze alarms, dismiss timers and silence your phone. The sensor can even sense when you are reaching for ythe phone and turn on face unlock, for faster results.
Photo Credit: “Source Google”
When used with the Personal Safety app, the Pixel 4 is able to automatically call emergency services when it detects that you’ve been in a car accident. This car crash detection will only be available in English in the US for now. It’s a helpful feature, but its accuracy at detecting actual emergency situations is still unproven.
The screen is slightly bigger on the Pixel 4 (5.7 inch OLED) compared to the Pixel 3 but the XL version retains the same dimensions as its predecessor. That’s not all, this year’s display is a 90Hz one, meaning if offers buttery smooth performance and very quick touch responses. This feature isn’t new, the One Plus 7 Pro has it too, but its good to know that Google has jumped on the bandwagon as well.
Both phones are powered by the Snapdragon 855 chip and 6GB of RAM, which is a marked improvement over last year’s models. This year’s Pixel phones are the first to feature dual rear cameras, a 12 Megapixel wide lens and 16 Megapixel telephoto ones. Unlike other smartphone makers, Google feels that a telephoto lens would be more beneficial than an ultra-wide one.
Users will now be able to fine-tune brightness of their pictures and even adjust the detail in the shadows. The phone also has Live HDR+ on the viewfinder, which enables to see your adjustments to photo/video quality in real time. This coupled with the telephoto lens allow for more detailed night shots with improved detail.
On the software front, the Pixel 4 comes with Android 10, and features a whole host of unique functions which include a more intelligent Google Assistant. It is able to understand the context of your commands, allowing for better accuracy at understanding a string of tasks. The recorder app not only records audio, but it can do so while simultaneous transcribing speech and identifying music and applause.
The Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL can be pre-ordered for a price of $799 and $899 respectively. The devices will begin shipping, globally on October 24. The phones will be available to order in three different colours which are Clearly White, Just Black, and a limited edition, Oh So Orange.
