Pixel 4 Hands On: No Surprises
Google seems to be intent on ensuring all of its phones leak out in full before they’re officially released. The Pixel 4 joins the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3a in arriving with just about no surprises after months of leaks that even included the phone getting a full review on YouTube.
The Pixel 4 – and the larger Pixel 4 XL – might not be much of a surprise, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t interesting devices – quite the opposite. These are a pair of Android phones that feel very different from the Galaxy Note 10 Plus, Huawei Mate 30 Pro and even the OnePlus 7T Pro. They’re not flashy or over-designed, and they don’t really care about specs. Google barely even mentioned what’s powering these phones during my short time with them.
Pixel 4 Price and Release Date
The Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL will be available from October 24. Prices start at £629 for the Pixel 4 64GB and £829 for the Pixel 4 XL. That’s a seriously large jump for a bigger screen. You can add another £100 to both if you want double the storage.
Pixel 4 Camera – Can it be the king again?
Instead, Google is focussing on how the Pixel 4 will work in real-world situations. A perfect example of this is with the new dual-camera array on the back. You’ve still got a 12-megapixel main camera, but it’s now paired with a secondary ‘telephoto’ 16-megapixel sensor that aids with portrait shots and general shooting.
Related: Pixel 4 colours
The actual intricate detail of these sensors remains to be seen, however Google showed off a few clever skills the camera possess. You can now alter the exposure for both the foreground and background, ideal if you’re taking a tough shot of a sunset and you don’t want the foreground blown out. I only had a short demo session with the device, but it was immediately obvious how much better the picture looked when you played about with the exposure controls.
Another new camera mode is designed specifically for taking pictures of the night sky. This ‘Astrophotography’ mode stitches 15 snaps together and, if the demo shots I was shown prove to be achievable in real life, look utterly unmatched by any other phone. You will need a tripod setup though.
The camera on the Pixel 3 produces stunning pictures and I have big hopes for the Pixel 4. While I would have preferred an ultra-wide angle (similar to the one on the iPhone 11) to be the secondary sensor, the 16-megapixel ‘telephoto’ (Google couldn’t actually confirm the differences in focal length) works across multiple modes, Google reps told me it helps everything from portrait mode to aiding the 3x hybrid zoom.
Powering the camera’s skills is the Pixel Neural Core, which replaces the Pixel Visual Core from previous models. This takes on more responsibility too, powering the clever new Motion Sense abilities.
Best Pixel 4 Pre-Order Deals
Google Pixel 4, 64GB Storage - O2 - 45GB of Data, Unlimited Minutes and Texts
Google Pixel 4, 64GB Storage - O2 - 45GB of Data, Unlimited Minutes and Texts
Benefit from the brand new dual-camera rear package and gorgeous 5.7-inch HD display with a hefty monthly allowance to get you through. Even better, with this contract receive a free Chromebook.
Free £50 Gift Card with Any Pixel 4 Tariff
Free £50 Gift Card with Any Pixel 4 Tariff
Take up a brand new Pixel 4 contract and receive a £50 gift card that you can choose to spend at Currys PC World, Google Play, Just Eat or a pre-paid Mastercard.
Pixel 4, 64GB storage - SIM-free with Free Chromebook
Pixel 4, 64GB storage - SIM-free with Free Chromebook
Buy your Pixel 4 outright and get excellent value for your money in this bundle deal with all purchases also receiving a free HP Chromebook 14 with your pre-order.
Pixel 4 Motion Sense – Gesture control without the gimmicks?
Motion Sense allows you to interact with the phone, thanks to radar, by waving your hand over the top portion of the front. The radar’s sensor is housed in the top bezel and it’s the reason why there’s a little more space here than on other 2019 flagships. As it’s radar, rather than just a camera, the gestures work in the dark and don’t require the screen to be on.
A couple of the Motion Sense features include skipping tracks in music apps like YouTube Music and Spotify (not Apple Music, though), silencing alarms and bringing the display to life when you’re close. It’s also used for the face unlock system that completely replaces fingerprint authentication here.
Related: Pixelbook Go
Apple ditched fingerprint authentication completely a few years ago, but it’s very rare for an Android phone to ship with only facial unlocking even in 2019. In-screen fingerprint sensors have become all the rage and they’ve slowly been improving. So this is a big move from Google and it’s a risky one, especially if the facial unlocking method is slow or unreliable. It took Apple a couple of software updates to nail Face ID and not having a backup feels like it could backfire.
Controlling a phone with gestures isn’t particularly new, however the implementation here is. LG G8 has a similar feature but that uses the camera, rather than radar, and doesn’t work well in dark situations. That shouldn’t be an issue for the Pixel 4.
Pixel 4 Display and Performance – Smooth all around
You can get the Pixel 4 in two sizes: 5.7-inch and 6.3-inches. That means the smaller Pixel is slightly larger than last year’s model, however it packs the same FHD+ resolution and remains an OLED panel.
The biggest upgrade this year is something Google is calling ‘Smooth Display’. This refers to the new 90Hz refresh-rate option and it allows the display to refresh itself 90 times a second rather than 60 (60Hz). It gives a much smoother look when scrolling and makes the whole phone feel faster.
Powering the phone is a Snapdragon 855 chipset and there’s 6GB RAM alongside it. I had real issues with performance on my Pixel 3 after months of use, so hopefully this bump from 4 to 6GB RAM will help the longevity of the phone.
Android 10 is the OS of choice and there’s the Pixel launcher on the top of it. You’ve got all the usual Android 10 perks like a system-wide dark mode, plus a few Pixel extras like a clever Recorder app that’ll automatically (and very accurately) transcribe what’s being said.
Pixel 4 Design – A flagship with a completely different style
The Pixel 4 tries very hard to offer a design that’s the complete opposite to something like the Galaxy Note 10 Plus or Huawei Mate 30 Pro. While those have super-shiny glass backs and the curves and waterfall displays, the Pixel 4 feels restrained in comparison.
The back here is matte, with an equally matte rim that adds a serious amount of grip. There’s no curved display either, and neither model has a horrible notch like the Pixel 3 XL. Instead, there’s a larger forehead and a slightly smaller chin. I think it looks fine, almost like a Pixel 2. That two-tone design has been ditched from the glass back though, and with it goes a bit of the character of the series.
Colour options include a white option with black sides, a completely black option and ‘Oh So Orange’ which is seriously bright.
While I don’t think these phones look particularly ‘exciting’, they do feel great. The slightly rougher matte finish gives the phone a sturdier feel than much of the competition and it lacks the overly delicate nature of them, too.
Pixel 4 – Early verdict
It’s hard to really get a sense of how good the Pixel 4 is after just a few hours with it, as – on the surface – it lacks a true excitement factor. That might be down to the fact that most of its features have leaked countless times, or the slightly by-the-numbers design.
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But, and that’s a very important but, the Pixel 4 feels like a device I am going to love over time. If the camera is as good as Google has made out then it could easily topple the iPhone 11, while the 90Hz screen and Motion Sense features have genuine uses beyond looking good on an advertisement.
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