New Google Pixel 4 and XL smartphones have been announced. Both the smartphones are equipped with a 90Hz OLED display and a Snapdragon 855 chipset. These phones have Motion Sense, a unique feature that enables the user to locate the device through gestures. This feature works with radar technology.
Google Pixel 4 XL with gesture control
The small model is equipped with a 5.7-inch Full HD + display. The Google Pixel 4 XL has a 6.3-inch QHD + screen. In contrast to Pixel 3, the updated models do not have a notch. Google has decided to go back to the bezel’s time before the iPhone X. This screen border is completely crammed with technology.
The following components are built-in from left to right: Face unlock the infrared camera, selfie camera, light sensor, audio port, soli radar chip, face unlock dot projector, face unlock infrared camera and finally, a face unlock light sensor.
With so many sensors, you would think face recognition should work great. Shortly after the release, however, the BBC announced that this face recognition technology involves a noticeable disadvantage. Because even with your eyes closed the user is recognized. In theory, you could hold the phone in front of a sleeping face to unlock the device.
Google has since responded and will offer a work-around for those who are concerned about this. By activating the Lockdown option, it is necessary that the eyes are open in order to unlock the device.
The soli radar technology that Google uses has been in development for 5 years. The Motion Sense technology works with radar and makes it possible to control your device through gestures. With a simple hand movement, you can, for example, skip a song or snooze an alarm.
This technology is being further developed, in the future also refined movements must be recognized, such as wiping your index finger over your thumb, in order to be able to scroll through a page.
Google has also equipped its Pixel smartphones with an extra camera; 2 instead of 1. That may seem a little low in 2019, but Google smartphones are known for their good image quality. Google manages to achieve this by improving the photos with software.
The primary camera has a 1.0 µm sensor with 16 megapixels. The second camera is a 12.2-megapixel telephoto lens, in addition, the Pixel 4 and 4 XL make significantly better evening and even night shots. In addition, an 8-megapixel selfie camera is built in at the front.
The Pixel 4 has a 2,800 mAh battery, its bigger brother is provided with a 3,700 mAh battery. In particular, the battery of Pixel 4 is very minimal. Both phones have 6GB RAM and can choose 64GB or 128GB storage memory.
Price and availability
Naturally, the new devices run on the latest operating system; Android 10. The Google Assistant is also present to assist you with everyday tasks, planning, questions, etc. Google Pixel 4 smartphones are not sold in the Netherlands, but you can buy the phones in neighboring Germany.
Pixel 4 has a starting price of € 750 and the Pixel 4 XL can be bought for € 900. This makes the new devices cheaper than the Pixel 3 series during launch. Google follows the same strategy as Apple. Not entirely coincidentally of course.
