This October, Google officially announced its long-awaited Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL smartphones. The pair of devices boast some great new features that weren’t available in its predecessors. If you are a fan of Android smartphones and the Pixel lineup thus far, you will want to know all the ins and outs of the 4 and 4 XL so you know what to expect when you go shopping for your next phone.
4 New Technologies
Something that sets the Google Pixel 4 and 4 XL apart from other smartphones is that instead of showcasing one brand new technology, the duo includes four. Google Assistant and the screen’s refresh rate are now faster, spatial awareness using radar is available and there is also a facial unlock feature. The latter feature is said to be extremely fast, even passing the iPhone 11 series.
Google has dubbed its new screen refresh rate, which is 90Hz, “Smooth Display.” The screen is normally 60Hz, which helps to preserve battery life, but when necessary. “Ambient EQ” is also present in the Pixel 4 and 4 XL, and it’s a feature that allows for the screen’s color temperature to adjust to match the room.
Motion Sense is the radar feature, which uses spatial awareness around the smartphone at around two feet in diameter when you place the phone on a table. This technology is still a work-in-progress by Google, but the main function is that the phone will recognize when you are nearby and will unlock in advance. You can also use it to dismiss calls and alarms and skip forward or back while playing music with a simple wave of your hand.
Cameras
Both the Pixel 4 and 4 XL have primary, rear-facing dual cameras. These phones are a first for Google in terms of including more than one lens in its smartphones. One camera is 12 megapixels while the other is 16 megapixels with 2x zoom. It’s also possible to crop up to 10x without losing detail in your photos. Also included in the camera system is Live HDR+ and Night Sight mode tweaks to get even better low-light images.
Design
The Pixel 4 duo is designed with an aluminum band surrounded by Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and back. They no longer sport a notch at the top of the screen like last year’s offerings, but there is now a bezel in its place for the face unlock sensor and selfie camera. The rear-facing camera is encased in a square at the upper left of the back of the phone but is less obnoxious than that of the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max.
Inside, there is a Snapdragon 855 processor and 6GB of RAM for speedy function. The Pixel 4 and 4 XL are also dust- and water-resistant with an IP68 rating and include wireless charging. If you prefer wired charging, the phones include the new standard USB-C port.
Oddly, Google decided to include smaller batteries in this year’s offerings in comparison with last year’s Pixel 3 lineup. The Pixel 4 is packed with a 2800 mAh Lithium-ion battery while the larger Pixel 4 XL has one that is 3700 mAh.
These new smartphones are also slightly larger and heavier than last year’s devices. The 4 is 5.7 by 2.7 inches and 162 grams while the 4 XL is 6.3 by 2.9 inches and 193 grams. Meanwhile, both phones have a depth of 0.3 inches.
Pricing
In terms of price, the Pixel 4 starts at $799. Not surprisingly, the larger 4 XL costs $899 if you want the 64GB version. For the 128GB version, you can expect to pay $899 for the 4 and $999 for the 4 XL.
You can get your hands on the brand new Pixel 4 or Pixel 4 XL on Thursday, October 24, 2019. The four major American wireless carriers — AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon will all carry the phones, but you can snag one unlocked, too.
