Google Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL preview: Here’s everything we know so far

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Google Pixel phones are most susceptible to leaks at least that’s what the history suggests. The silicon valley giant’s first Pixel in 2016 to Pixel 3 in 2018 and even the watered-down Pixel 3a siblings all made headlines before the launch due to various leaks. Last year, Engadget published the Pixel 3 review days before the official launch. Despite Google’s best efforts Pixel 4 and Pixel 4XL leaks also started trickling down. To kill the speculations around Pixel 4 render leak, Google itself released Pixel 4 images from the back.

Thence, we know what the new Pixel phone would look like from the rear side. With Google’s bold move of posting official render months before the official launch has settled the debate on square camera bump on the rear. Thanks to the official Pixel 4 render, it is also clear that for the first time a Pixel phone will feature multiple cameras at the back.

If you are a Pixel fanboy, this post will be your home for all the rumors and leaks of Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL ahead of the launch. We will regularly update this post with key specifics, features, price, release date milling in the rumor factory.

Google Pixel 4 Release Date

Reputed tipster Evan Blass tweeted the photo of a leaked Verizon 2019 marketing timeline. This revealed that the Pixel 4 launch date will be in October.

Now, we have the official date, revealed via promos.

Google Pixel 4 Price

Everything about Pixel 4
Source: EVLeaks

Historically, Google has leaped the prices of every Pixel iteration and this time would likely be no different. If we loosely translate the aforementioned prices, Google Pixel 4 64GB variant will retail at  Rs. 56,000 in India. The higher 128GB model will apparently cost about Rs. 64,000. As for the Pixel 4 XL, the base 64GB variant will be priced at circa. Rs. 64,000 and the 128GB model will be available for around Rs. 72,500.

Google Pixel 4 News and Rumors

Let’s begin with all the leaked photos of the Google Pixel 4 in the wild –

Google had surprised the fans with the design hints of the Pixel 4. So, we know precisely how it looks from the back with that square camera bump and multiple cameras.

Google Pixel 4
Source: Google

Apart from the dual camera sensors, the bump resides an LED flash (bottom) and a cutout for the laser autofocus (top). There is a tiny microphone cutout beside the LED module. Twitteratti has already meme-ified the new camera arrangement.

A hidden code discovered by XDA reveals that the Google Camera app would support wide-gamut P3 color capture as well as a 16MP (8X Zoom) telephoto lens. So, Pixel 4 might carry a primary 12MP sensor equipped with PDAF, along with this secondary telephoto sensor for optical zoom and finally a 3D ToF unit (rather than an ultra-wide-angle camera) to complete the trifecta. To ramp up the camera game, Google is rumored to be working on a “DSLR-like attachment”.

They will reportedly usher in a slew of new features like Audio Zoom, Live HDR, better Wide-Angle Selfies, dual exposure camera controls, enhanced Night Sight and more. The past Google phones have propped up the possibilities of smartphone photography and we believe that this year shouldn’t be any different.

Here are a few camera samples, courtesy of 9to5google –

Additionally, Google has apparently moved away from dual-tone texture, a trait of previous Pixels. Some leaks suggest the device to comes with a thickness of 8.2mm. A case leak spotted by GSMarena exhibits a significant camera hump with a thickness of around 9.3mm. Renders also sport the device in a fresh new mint green color variant. Rest, it’s expected to come out in Clearly White, Just Black and Oh So Orange colors

As for the front, new renders reveal thick bezel up top like the Pixel 2 XL design. Pixel 4 will allegedly sport a Smooth display with a 90Hz refresh rate.

There are several leaked hands-on videos that corroborate the expected and rumored looks and features.

Google has also spilled the beans on the sensors and chips housed on the Pixel 4 front.

Project Soli on Pixel 4
Source: Google

This black forehead is home to the selfie shooter, Face Unlock IR Camera, ambient light/proximity sensor, audio port, soli radar chip, face unlock dot projector, face unlocking IR camera, and face-unlock flood illuminator. A big list indeed, which raises our expectation for the face unlock mechanism. The following screen protectors had hinted at a feature-packed fascia in the Pixel 4.

The Soli Radar component is Google’s move against Apple’s Face ID. But, its use case scenarios are manifold. Google’s Project Soli Radar equips the phone with a mini radar that detects touchless motion gestures. Thus, you could control your phone with motion signals without touching it. We don’t mind the design choice so long as Google utilizes the top bezel efficiently. The Pixel 4 is allegedly spotted with an extremely svelte chin.

Google Project Soli (Source: ATAP.Google)
Source: ATAP.Google

Google assures a faster, secure and reliable face unlock coupled with Motion Sense gesture control. It will allow you to skip songs, snooze alarms, and silence phone calls, by simply waving your hand. Moreover, it touts safer payment authorization.

Speaking of authorization, due to country restrictions, the said gesture sensing tech might not make its way to some countries. And even in the alleged 38 countries, it might be supported by select apps.

According to the leaksters, the Pixel 4 XL will have a 6.25-inch OLED display with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The smaller pixel’s display will stretch somewhere in the 5.6 to 5.8-inch range.

Recently, BGR has come forward with more leaks on the Pixel 4s. They confirm that the Pixel 4’s display resolution is 2280 x 1080 while the XL panel projects 3040 x 1440 resolution.

A lack of fingerprint reader also corroborates a rumored in-display scanner instead. Rest, the phone might pack the laundry list of ports and buttons including the USB-C at the bottom alongside dual speakers and the power button as well as the volume keys on the right. So, needless to say, but there will be no dual front-firing speakers and the 3.5mm audio jack.

A Google spokesperson told The Verge by email: “I wish I could share more, but can just confirm this is indeed Pixel 4, for now.” We don’t want to read too much into this. But, we infer that Google hasn’t finalized the design, as per this statement.

Android 10 Android Q name

It is also certain that the Pixel 4 will be running on Android 10 out of the box. With this iterative upgrade, we get cosmetic changes, features and under the hood performance improvements. On the software side of things, we might get some new things like the Hold My Phone feature, and a brand-new Pixel Themes app. The use of both is evident from their nomenclature. The former would be a handy feature that assigns the Google Assistant to handle a call on hold whilst you attend other work or business. And when the other person is back on call, you’ll be duly notified by the Assistant voice. The “new Google Assistant” will get a visual revamp along with an improved “continued conversation”, better offline functionality, and refined latency.

ALSO READ: Android 10 Quick Review

The Pixel Themes or Theme Picker on AOSP ROM is a built-in theming option in Android 10, which would let you customize the font, icon shape, and accent color. Folks at XDA has dug out the Android 10 source code to decipher more details on the new feature. Apparently, it will appear as Styles and Wallpapers in the context menu. This theming tool resembles the “Customization” section in OnePlus 7 Pro running on Android 10.

These would be the 3 preset themes :

  • Reiko/Crayon: Purple accent color, Arbutus font, Circular/Teardrop icons
  • Johanna/Collage: Green accent color, Arvo and Lato font, Filled icons
  • Anthony/Ash: Black accent color, Rubik font, Rounded/Squircle icons

XDA reports the Pixel 4 users might get the option to tinker around with the home screen layouts and clock layouts (for the Ambient Display) as well.

Other things expected and leaked include an all-out dark mode, a personal safety app, a new recorder app and an Ambient EQ.

This new software suite would be running over Snapdragon 855 chipset, revved by 6GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage. For the moment, it is unclear whether more memory and storage variants will be unveiled. There are rumors of a new Pixel Neural Core, which is expected to utilize neural horsepower to enhance the Pixel 4 photography.

Google Coral Spec listing on Geekbench
Google Coral Spec listing on Geekbench

Coral is the codename for a long-rumored Google product, presumably Pixel 4. Backpedaling, the Geekbench listing of this device had surfaced in January of this year. The benchmark results share a single-core score of 3,296 and a multi-core one of 9,235.

ALSO READ: Google Pixel 3a XL India price is Rs. 44,999 [Update]

Google Pixel 4: What We Wish To See

Pixel 4 everything we know so far

If the above rumor seems preposterous, let’s mellow down and move to our wishlist for Pixel 4. Hey Google, we would appreciate if you endow us with a bigger battery, more storage variants (256GB), enhanced Dual-SIM support, and Stadia-centric gaming peripherals. Finally, we cross our fingers for a bug-free Pixel, especially since the previous ones were plagued by issues such as poor microphone quality, inaccurate display colors, etc.

There are hints of a third Pixel device in works, code-named Needlefish, which could be the trimmed down Pixel 4a. This is expected to be accompanied by a bevy of hardware devices such as Google Nest Mini (2nd gen), Google Nest Wifi (2nd gen), Pixelbook Go, Pixel Buds 2, and a Pixel Watch.

We will be continuously updating this article. This could be your source for all Pixel 4 news and details.

Vasan G.S.Vasan G.S.
An inquisitive mind who spends a big chunk of the day keenly tracking every emerging detail and is responsible for quickly passing on important developments to Smartprix followers. He loves to stay in his bubble scripting his destiny involving amazing technology and people with good character, passion, and brilliance.

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