Google has been manufacturing its own smartphones under the Pixel brand for some time now. These devices are the flagships of the Android operating system, both in terms of hardware and software. As a result, they receive software updates for an extended period of time, receiving new features along the way. Finally, the company has released an update for a model that many believed had been forgotten. Here are the details…

Google’s not done with your old Pixel 4 quite yet

The Pixel 4 and 4 XL, launched by Google in October 2019, were seemingly forgotten due to the end of software support. However, a recent surprise update may revive the Pixel 4. Android expert, Mishaal Rahman, has discovered a new build for the device, which is an experimental build not yet released to the public.

This new build, based on Android 13 QPR1, is part of Google’s Android Privacy Sandbox program, where the company tests new technologies for ad tracking without relying on third-party cookies. The update also includes December 2022 security patches, which some Pixel 5 users are still waiting for.

While this build doesn’t guarantee continued updates for the Pixel 4 and 4 XL, it is an official first-party build of Android, giving Pixel 4 users hope that their devices may not be obsolete just yet. With Google’s renewed commitment to the Pixel line, there may be further updates in the future.

The new build is not available for the Pixel 4 XL as it doesn’t have access to the Privacy Sandbox. The new build for the Pixel 4 is a positive sign for concerned users, as Google only promises three years of Android version upgrades and a year of security patches for its flagship devices, compared to Samsung’s four years of OS updates and an additional year of security patches.

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(via)

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Google’s Pixel series continues to cause trouble. Smartphones, which are constantly on the agenda with a bug, have been a nightmare for the company so far. But it seems this is just the beginning. The FTC and seven states sue Google over deceptive Pixel radio ads. The company faces a $9.4 million penalty if found guilty.

The FTC and seven states sue Google over deceptive Pixel 4 series ads

At the beginning of this year, the state of Texas was suing Google over radio ads broadcast in 2019 and 2020 promoting the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. Before the launch of the Pixel 4 series, Google had signed deals with media companies. One of the companies, iHeartMedia, recorded an ad to be broadcast in the Texas radio region. However, the company wanted radio personnel to give their first-hand experience with the Pixel 4 models even though the phones had yet to be released.

Because of Google’s request, iHeartMedia requested a Pixel 4 for each on-air staff involved in the promotion but was denied. The company did write scripts that required the DJs to say that they used the devices and that they loved the Night Sight feature that allows users to take photos in low-light environments without flash.

The scripts included dialogue like this: “The only thing I love more than taking the perfect photo? Taking the perfect photo at night. With Google Pixel 4, both are a cinch. It’s my favorite phone camera out there, especially in low light, thanks to Night Sight Mode.” Another script had the DJs say, “I’ve been taking studio-like photos of everything…my son’s football game… a meteor shower… a rare spotted owl that landed in my backyard. Pics or it didn’t happen, am I right?”

And the ads also promoted Google Assistant: “Pixel 4 is more than just great pics. It’s also great at helping me get stuff done, thanks to the new voice-activated Google Assistant that can handle multiple tasks at once. I can read up on the latest health fads, ask for directions to the nearest goat yoga class (yes, that’s a thing), and text the location to mom hands-free.” Remember, iHeartMedia staff had never actually held a Pixel 4 in their hands.

This misleading advertising campaign has given the company a lot of trouble. After the state of Texas, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has taken action against Google and iHeartMedia. FTC announced today that it and the attorneys general from seven states are commencing a lawsuit against both Google and iHeartMedia.

The states involved in legal action were Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York and Texas. The states in question have issued demanding $9.4 million in penalties. Besides iHeartMedia, the FTC says that 11 other broadcast networks in ten states were paid by Google to promote the Pixel 4 series.

Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Samuel Levine said, “Google and iHeartMedia paid influencers to promote products they never used, showing a blatant disrespect for truth-in-advertising rules. The FTC will not stop working with our partners in the states to crack down on deceptive ads and ensure firms that break the rules pay a price.”

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey added that “It is common sense that people put more stock in first-hand experiences. Consumers expect radio advertisements to be truthful and transparent about products, not misleading with fake endorsements. Today’s settlement holds Google and iHeart accountable for this deceptive ad campaign and ensures compliance with state and federal law moving forward.”

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(via)

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For the Pixel 4 series of smartphone users, Google is rolling out the final update for the two devices. The company is updating the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL just ahead of the launch of the latest flagship Pixel 7 series.

The news arrives from an official Search Engine giant support page back. So now, the October 2022 is the last month the two smartphones will be receiving their guaranteed update. In other words, there will no longer offer any major Android version update or even any security updates either. For those unaware, Google’s Pixel family of phones typically are one of the first to receive any major Android upgrades as a part of their “guaranteed” updates.

This means, it is still possible that the company will support the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL with smaller software updates for a while longer. Although, this is unlikely considering the brand stopped supporting the Pixel 3 following the end of the “guaranteed” updates previously. The company discontinuing the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL support arrives just ahead of the launch of the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, which is the flagship lineup of this year.

Since these are new phones, it is guaranteed to receive five years of security patches, which is higher than the three years of security updates offered by the Pixel 4 series. However, the Pixel 7 series will likely only receive up to three years of major Android support.

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Search giant Google has landed in legal trouble again but not for something they recently did. The company is being sued in Texas for radio advertising that aired from late October to early December of 2019.

According to a report by AndroidCentral, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has brought forth this lawsuit claiming that Google ran inaccurate and deceiving advertisements about its Pixel 4 smartphones in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston markets. The claims allege that Google refused to provide the Pixel 4 smartphones to the advertisers while requiring them to give a positive, personal testimony about using the product.

Specifically, the suit states that “Google demanded the recording and broadcast of the advertisements using Google’s scripted and deceptive wording” even after being informed by iHeartMedia that such practices were against the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Consumer Protection Act.

The script of these ads included phrases like  “I’ve been taking studio-like photos of everything…my son’s football game… a meteor shower… a rare spotted owl that landed in my backyard.” Google had allowed the broadcasters to slightly modify the specific events spoken of in the script but did not allow them to remove the personal claims.

Google spokesperson José Castañeda stated that Google “will review the complaint but the AG’s allegations appear to misrepresent what occurred here.”

The Attorney General also added that the ads ran 2405 times on iHeartMedia radio channels between October 28, 2019, and December 2, 2019. During this period, Google did not provide the Pixel 4 device to any of the eight radio personalities that had “personalized” messages about their use of the Pixel 4 device for this advertisement.

In January 2020, Google again approach iHeartMedia to run a similar ad campaign for the Pixel 4 and did not provide the smartphones to the radio personalities until after iHeartMedia attempted to purchase them on their own. The suit added that “this continued pattern of behavior demonstrates the blatant disregard Google possesses for true and accurate advertising in the marketing and sale of its products.”

If Google is found guilty of the alleged charges, the company will be ordered to “pay civil penalties not to exceed $10,000 per violation of the DTPA to the State of Texas,” along with any court fees, according to the suit.

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(Source)

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Widevine issues are something that every Android OEM appears to be dealing with lately with a few of their devices, and Google is no exception. Multiple Pixel users had earlier complained about being unable to stream content from Netflix in a resolution higher than 540p, which is definitely not ideal for today’s 1080p and even 2K smartphone displays. It seemed that pretty much every device from Pixel 3 and up was affected.

Google in April this year then acknowledged the problem, promising it was working on a fix. However, fast forward eight months later to today and there’s still no sign of a fix. And new complaints keep piling up.

For the uninitiated, problems with video quality on streaming apps like Netflix emerge due to Widevine issues. OEMs typically get their devices L1 certified which allows playing content at 1080p. The Pixel phones were not excluded from this treatment, but for some reason, the Widevine certification dropped to L3 for some users. L3 means that Netflix can play in quality no further than 540p.

Multiple complaints have resultantly popped up and one Redditor has even compiled a list of complaints across the internet (via XDA Developers). While the list obviously contains reports dating back to early 2021, there are also some from as recent as 21 days ago, proving that the problem never really disappeared.

Eight months sure is quite a long time for fixing a bug like this, which makes us wonder if Google has quietly swept the entire thing under the rug. The Google Pixel 3 is also nearing its EOL with software updates – all the more reason to fix the problem as soon as possible.

Anyhow, for now, we recommend those Google Pixel owners affected by the Widevine issue to take the matter up to the official Pixel Phone forums or Twitter to remind Google about it, just in case they’ve forgotten.

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Google recently announced that it will terminate unlimited ‘High-quality‘ backup on Google Photos starting June 1, 2021. While the existing Pixel devices are exempt from this change, new reports suggest that future Pixel devices won’t be able to escape it.

As quoted by Android Authority(source 1, 2), Google has confirmed to Android Police and Android Central that Future Google Pixel smartphones won’t have Free Google Photos backup. In fact, it won’t even get the unlimited ‘high-quality’ option that current pixels(till Pixel 5) are going to get. This totally negates the point of People who basically prefer to buy them for unlimited backup.

Instead, as reported earlier, the company has started emphasizing more on its Paid Cloud Storage, Google One. If you notice at the end of the blog post about Google Photos, it has mentioned Google One subscriptions. Accordingly, it costs $99.99(USA)/₹6,500(India) a year or $9.99/₹650 a month, and includes VPN service for Android as well(2TB Plan).

That said, this confirmation basically means that if you are someone who is planning to buy future pixel devices(after Google Pixel 5), you need to start saving for cloud storage. In case you run out of the free 15GB, Google will constantly alert you. And entice you to get the extra storage. Do note that, if you leave the completed storage unattended for 24 months, Google might delete some content by itself.

Besides, If you track Google’s approach over the years, you can see a trend here. The first Pixel introduced unlimited “original-quality” backup to Google Photos. However, after Pixel 3a, and subsequently 4, the tagline changed to “high-quality” images. Ironically, the same company, which used “unlimited backup” as a marketing tagline earlier, now says that the free 15GB it offers is enough to store three years of memories.

That said, we do understand Google’s concern about maintaining a sustainable App experience in the future. And catering to the insane demand for cloud storage every day. However, it needs to find a way to lure future Pixel buyers by giving plans similar to “three months of Google One(100GB)” with Pixel 5.

UP NEXT: Older Google Pixels are getting revamped Camera UI

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A growing number of Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 3 users have recently been complaining about their devices. Reports of users facing battery issues have been prominent, with people having their handset’s battery swell up.

According to a PhoneArena report, the number of posts regarding the bloated batteries has been growing in number since back in May. Images show that the swelling is so severe in certain cases, that it pushed against the rear panel, lifting it out of its housing. These posts have been flooding in the Google Support Forum and on Reddit. Certain users even reported on the problem after noticing that they weren’t able to charge their devices wirelessly anymore.

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According to one Reddit post, a user had arranged for a replacement Pixel 4 XL from Verizon. However, the company didn’t have the model in stock and were sending him a Samsung Galaxy S10+ instead. This led to the speculation that the battery swelling issue is the reason behind the early discontinuation of the Pixel 4 series. Although, this is just an unconfirmed rumor, so take it with a pinch of salt.

So for those facing a similar issue, it is advised that you seek a device replacement. However, if your Pixel 4 or Pixel 3 is out of warranty, Google is still providing replacements, albeit with refurbished models. Keep in mind, Google will not be offering another smartphone if your replacement also faces the same issue after a year or two. Notably, the issue is known to affect the Pixel 3 XL and Pixel 4 XL as well.

UP NEXT: Xiaomi Mi 10 Guofeng Ya Gray model is the exclusive smartphone partner for “Mulan” in China

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Google Pixel 4 series of flagship smartphones from the company was not a success but that has not stopped the company from growing its presence in the smartphone market. The Google Pixel series smartphones have reported its best performance yet in terms of sales in the year 2019.

According to the numbers released by IDC, Google managed to ship 7.2 million units of Pixel smartphones last year, i.e. in 2019. This represents a 52 percent year-on-year growth for Google in the market.

However, since the sale of Pixel 4 is low, it’s safe to assume that the sale of Pixel 3a could be the reason for the higher shipments of the series last year. In an earnings call this year, the company had said that Pixel 3a is selling well.

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The company has reportedly seen strong performance for its smartphones in Western Europe, Japan, and the United States. The good performance in the U.S. was probably because of the company expanding its carrier partnerships.

The IDC report claims that with shipments of 7.2 million, Google has surpassed OnePlus but the company hasn’t yet managed to be in the Top 10 brands. It does not reveal how much is the gap between the shipments from Google and OnePlus.

To put the numbers in perspective, the 7.2 million units are nowhere near what the leading smartphone brands are achieving. OPPO for instance, which is the world’s fifth-largest smartphone company, is shipping 147 million units a year.

UP NEXT: Rumored upcoming Samsung Galaxy A01 variant with removable battery spotted on Geekbench

(Source)

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Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4XL flagship smartphones from the tech giant were launched with a Soli radar chip to offer hands-free usage capabilities. However, the feature hasn’t gained much traction and the phone’s sales are quite low.

So, as per the reports, because of the failure of this Motion Sense feature, the company will be ditching this feature altogether in the next iteration, i.e. Google Pixel 5 series which should get launched this fall.

Motion Sense feature which makes use of the Project Soli radar chip, enables users to make use of gesture-based control system for hands-free experience. While many smartphone brands have offered gesture-based navigation features, Google‘s is the first one to be dependent on a Soli radar chip hardware.

One of the reasons for the low sales of Google Pixel 4 series, apart from the older design and not-so-important premium features, could be the lack of availability in some regions. Because of the presence of soli radar chip which uses certain frequency range, the company needs to obtain permission for frequency usage from the company where it plans to sell the devices. Thus, the smartphone series never made it to countries like India, Japan, China, among others.

EDITOR’S PICK: Ex-Meizu Executive Li Nan: Chinese companies should take a gamble, Recalls Blue Charm Metal without Qualcomm and Google

It makes total sense for the company to ditch this Motion Sense feature which is restricting itself from selling the smartphones to two of the world’s leading markets. Also, why should Google include a premium feature that no one really wants to use?

As for the upcoming Google Pixel 5 series, the company is expected to ditch the flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC and could instead adopt the Snapdragon 765G chipset which is aimed at premium mid-range devices. The reason behind this could be to keep the phone’s pricing on the lower side as the SD865 is quite expensive compared to its predecessors in the same lineup.

Getting rid of the Motion Sensor will also enable Google to offer a full-screen smartphone experience. The Pixel 5 series is expected to come with a triple-camera setup on the back and this time, the company is said to include a wide-angle sensor as well. We expect more rumours, leaks, and details regarding Pixel 5 lineup to surface in the coming weeks.

UP NEXT: OPPO halts operations in Noida (India) factory after confirmed cases of COVID-19 surfaces

(Source)

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Compact flagships are rare in the actual smartphone market. That is why when one of them gets released there is always an important hype. The latest compact flagship released is the new iPhone SE 2020 by Apple. It promises the same performance as the iPhone 11 series in a compact body and at an affordable price compared to other Apple phones. But is it really the best compact smartphone out there? In order to establish it, we decided to compare it with other recent compact flagships in the Android world: the vanilla Google Pixel 4 and the Sony Xperia 5 which replaced the Xperia Compact series.

Apple iPhone SE 2020 vs Google Pixel 4 vs Sony Xperia 5

Design

iPhone SE 2020, Google Pixel 4, and Sony Xperia 5 all come with a premium design including a glass back and an aluminum frame. But I define the Sony Xperia 5 as a much more attractive device due to its narrower bezels around the display and its CinemaWide 21:9 aspect ratio. On the other hand, it is the device with the biggest dimensions in this trio. The most compact, lightweight, and thinnest one is the Apple iPhone SE which measures 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm and weighs just 148 grams. However, it has an outdated design: the same as the iPhone 8 released back in 2017.

Display

Each of these devices offers a pretty nice display panel. But my favorite one belongs to Google Pixel 4. It is the only to offer a 90 Hz refresh rate and, besides providing the OLED technology and a Full HD+ resolution, it is HDR-compliant. Sony Xperia 5 lacks a high refresh rate just like the iPhone SE, but it still offers an amazing OLED display with HDR and advanced technologies borrowed from Sony Bravia TVs. Unfortunately, iPhone SE has an IPS panel with a lower resolution, but it comes with a wider color gamut and the True Tone technology. Further, the handset is the most compact with a diagonal of just 4.7 inches. iPhone SE and Sony Xperia 5 rely on a fingerprint scanner for authentication, while Google Pixel 4 supports 3D facial recognition.

Hardware/Software

The most performing handset here is the iPhone SE: it is equipped with the same Apple A13 Bionic SoC found on the iPhone 11 lineup and the iOS operating system offers a more advanced level of optimization. You should not notice big differences between Google Pixel 4 and Sony Xperia 5 since they pack the same Snapdragon 855 chipset paired with 6 GB of RAM and UFS 2.1 internal storage. Sony Xperia 5 is the only with a micro SD slot to expand the internal storage, but unlike the Google Pixel 4 running Android 10, it runs Android 9 Pie out of the box.

Camera

It is very hard to pick a winner in this trio: all of these devices are amazing camera phones, each with its pros and cons. In my opinion, Google Pixel 4 provides the most amazing image quality in a lot of scenarios, but Sony Xperia 5 is more or less at the same level and, unlike the Google Pixel 4 and the iPhone SE, it packs an ultrawide sensor. iPhone SE shines when it comes to video recording with an awesome stabilization and sharpness. Google Pixel 4 shoots amazing selfies and it is the only with a dual front camera including a TOF 3D sensor.

Battery

The longest battery life is provided by the Sony Xperia 5 which also packs a bigger 3140 mAh battery. But the Sony Xperia 5 does not support wireless charging, unlike Google Pixel 4 and iPhone SE. The silver medal goes to the Google Pixel 4 with its 2800 mAh battery.

Price

iPhone SE starts from €499/$399, Google Pixel 4 begins at $799/€749, and Sony Xperia 5 has an €800/$800 starting price. Thanks to actual street prices, you can get Google Pixel 4 and Sony Xperia 5 at way lower prices. There is not a definitive winner of this comparison. Sony Xperia 5 wins when it comes to battery life, Google Pixel 4 offers a 90 Hz display, iPhone SE has the highest performance. When it comes to cameras, they are all pretty nice. Call me unpopular, but my choice would be Sony Xperia 5 due to its battery. Which one would you pick?

• Read More: Google Pixel 4a renders showcase the upcoming smartphone’s design

Apple iPhone SE 2020 vs Google Pixel 4 vs Sony Xperia 5: PRO and CONS

Apple iPhone SE 2020

PROS

• More compact
• Best performance
• Good price
• Wireless charging
• eSIM

CONS

• Smaller battery

Google Pixel 4

PROS

• 3D facial recognition
• Wireless charging
• Great 90 Hz display
• eSIM

CONS

• Older chipset
• Smaller display

Sony Xperia 5

PROS

• Great triple camera
• More impressive design
• Micro SD slot
• Bigger battery

CONS

• Price

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Despite the U.S. ban Huawei keeps releasing amazing flagships. The latest is Honor V30 and V30 Pro which belong to the affordable flagship segment and debuted in the Chinese market. While waiting for their arrival in Europe which may be scheduled for Q1 2020, we think it is useful to compare them with their most important rivals. After comparing the Honor V30 to Oppo Reno 2 and Xiaomi Mi Note 10, it is time for comparisons regarding the Honor V30 Pro. We decided to compare it with OnePlus 7T Pro and Google Pixel 4 since they are among the most complete alternatives you can get at a not very high price.

Huawei Honor V30 Pro vs OnePlus 7T Pro vs Google Pixel 4

Design

OnePlus and Honor put a lot of effort into reducing the bezels around the display of their handsets: while the former opted for a pop-up camera in order to get rid of the notch on the OnePlus 7T Pro, the latter chose a punch-hole display for the Honor V30 Pro. But despite both have slimmer bezels than Google Pixel 4, the Pixel 4 is more compact and lightweight as it packs a smaller display and battery. Further, unlike its rivals, it has a waterproof body with the IP68 certification. It does not have the best look, according to my tastes the OnePlus 7T Pro is the most beautiful (but it has the biggest dimensions). But it is the most compact and it has a higher build quality, that is why I would go for it.

Display

OnePlus 7T Pro’s screen is the king of displays. It has everything you can expect from a display in 2019. It provides very accurate colors and a rich image quality thanks to the HDR10+ standard and full DCI P3 coverage. It has a very high level of detail thanks to the Quad HD+ resolution and it even provides a smoother user experience thanks to its 90 Hz refresh rate. The silver medal goes to the Google Pixel 4 rocking a P-OLED display with the support to HDR and a 90 Hz refresh rate. Honor V30 Pro has a midrange IPS panel, so nothing so exciting.

Hardware/Software

The speed is probably the most loved feature of the OnePlus 7T Pro. Thanks to an astonishing hardware department and an excellent software optimization, the handset provides blazing speeds and the smoothest user experience. It rocks a Snapdragon 855+ chipset, up to 12 GB of RAM and UFS 3.0 native storage, there is really nothing better for high performance. Right after, we got the Honor V30 Pro which, unlike the OnePlus 7T Pro, comes with the support to 5G connectivity. Google Pixel 4 does not support 5G and it has a lower-end chipset than both OnePlus 7T Pro and Honor V30 Pro, but it is a Google phone and it gets updated faster and more constantly with the latest patch and Android versions. That is why it is a better phone for developers.

Camera

Honor V30 Pro has the most advanced camera setup: a triple rear camera with OIS and 3x optical zoom, as well as an amazing dual front camera with an additional ultrawide sensor. It is a very hard fight between OnePlus 7T Pro and Google Pixel 4, but they are both inferior to the Honor V30 Pro.

Battery

Honor V30 Pro packs the biggest battery and it will probably last more on a single charge. It is also the only to support reverse wireless charging. Right after, we got the OnePlus 7T Pro with a slightly smaller battery, while Google Pixel 4 has a way smaller one and can not compete with its opponents.

Price

Honor V30 Pro starts from €500/$555 in China, OnePlus 7T Pro starts from €585/$649 in China and €759/$799 globally, and Google Pixel 4 costs €759/$799 globally. Overall, OnePlus 7T Pro is more advanced due to its better display and hardware, but it lacks 5G unlike the Honor V30 Pro, and Honor V30 Pro offers a better camera. We do not recommend the Google Pixel 4 instead of Honor V30 Pro and OnePlus 7T Pro unless you are a developer or a user needing the most updated software, but note that it is the only waterproof and compact device here.

• Read More: WeChat unblacklisted for Google Pixel 4, will now run at 90hz

Huawei Honor V30 Pro vs OnePlus 7T Pro vs Google Pixel 4: PRO and CONS

OnePlus 7T Pro

PROS

• Wider display diagonal
• Best display
• Very high performance
• Stereo speakers

CONS

• Dimensions

Google Pixel 4

PROS

• Compact and lightweight
• More updated software
• Wireless charging
• Waterproof
• Stereo speakers

CONS

• Older chipset
• Smaller display

Huawei Honor V30 Pro

PROS

• Amazing cameras
• 5G
• Wireless charging
• Reverse wireless charging

CONS

• IPS display

The post Honor V30 Pro vs OnePlus 7T Pro vs Google Pixel 4: Specs Comparison appeared first on Gizmochina.

A few weeks ago, we wrote about how some apps had been blacklisted by the Pixel 4. This meant they couldn’t run on the Pixel 4’s 90Hz refresh rate since they would completely drain the battery. When the phone is on a lower brightness, the 90Hz Smooth Display is disabled and switches to 60Hz only. It’s understandable now because it’s all for the best.

Originally the Pixel 4 had identified these four apps not to run at 90Hz: Google Maps, Pokemon GO, Waze, and WeChat. While most of these are graphics or resource intensive apps, WeChat is an outlier in that it’s just a chat client. The reason that the refresh rate is throttled down is simply due to the app’s poor performance at 90Hz refresh rate setting.

EDITOR’S PICK: iFixit’s Google Pixel 4 XL teardown reveals How complex it is to repair

Months since WeChat was added to the 90Hz blocklist in August, however, Tencent has apparently spent time optimizing the app for the Pixel 4. In a new commit posted late last week to the Android Open Source Project, Google has deemed that WeChat version 7.0.8 fixes all of the “jank” issues the app faced, and subsequently removed the app from the blocklist.

Before you experience the change on your Pixel 4 or 4 XL, however, there are still a couple of hurdles that you have to get past first. WeChat, which is still on version 7.0.5 in the Play Store, needs to be updated and released. And second, Google has to integrate the new blacklist into one of its monthly security patches before sending them out to everyone. Unfortunately, yesterday’s November security patch did not come with the newer list.

UP NEXT: Google Pixel 4 vs OnePlus 7T vs Huawei Mate 30: Specs Comparison

(Source)

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Google officially released the new Pixel 4 and shipped the first units in a cereal box. We had the chance to realize that it is not just a classic smartphone, but it is a device meant to take advantage of all the most advanced AI features. But despite it, it remains the affordable variant of the Pixel 4 series, so its price is not excessive. That is why we decided to compare it with other vanilla versions of flagship line-ups from other smartphone manufacturers. In this comparison, the Google Pixel 4 challenges the new OnePlus 7T and the Huawei Mate 30, even though the latter will remain an Asian exclusive and it won’t hit the global market.

Google Pixel 4 vs OnePlus 7T vs Huawei Mate 30

Design

The design is not the most innovative nor astonishing feature of these smartphones. They do not come with notch-less displays, either with extremely narrow bezels. Google Pixel 4 is more compact than its two rivals, but it sports a thick bezel on the upper part of the front side as well as a square camera module on the back like the iPhone 11. Huawei Mate 30 has a notched display, but it is not even a waterdrop notch. The only device which looks better on the front panel is the OnePlus 7T thanks to its smaller notch, and I even like its more minimalistic glass back. But with Pixel 4, you get a fully waterproof design with the IP68 certification which is not present on Huawei Mate 30 (which is just splashproof) and OnePlus 7T (no water resistance at all).

Display

With the OnePlus 7T, you get a definitely better display. It is the only to support the HDR10+ standard which provides richer image quality, especially with multimedia content. And just like the Google Pixel 4, it supports the 90 Hz refresh rate which makes the user experience smoother, especially for gamers. Note that Google Pixel 4 has an interesting radar for air gesture control, as well as 3D facial recognition. Even the Huawei Mate 30 supports 3D facial recognition (that is the meaning of that bigger notch), while OnePlus 7T does not.

Hardware/Software

The OnePlus 7T has fewer additional features and sensors, but it boasts way better performances thanks to its Snapdragon 855+ chipset running at a max frequency of 2.96 GHz and offering 15 percent higher graphics performance compared to the Snapdragon 855 found on the Google Pixel 4. The Huawei Mate 30 is equipped with a Kirin 990 chipset which sits in the middle between Snapdragon 855+ and Snapdragon 855, but it has an important added value: it supports 5G. Indeed, there is a 5G variant of the Huawei Mate 30 in commerce. Even the Snapdragon 855+ has 5G support, but there is no 5G variant for the OnePlus 7T. All the phones run Android 10 out of the box, but the Pixel 4 usually gets updated faster since it is a Google phone.

Camera

The camera found on the Huawei Mate 30 is undoubtedly able to achieve a better photo quality than both Huawei Mate 30 and Google Pixel 4. The Huawei Mate 30 sports a 40 MP main sensor with laser autofocus, a telephoto lens with OIS and 3x optical zoom, and even a 16 MP ultrawide sensor. The OnePlus 7T is not so distant with its bright focal aperture and OIS. Even the Google Pixel 4 is one of the best camera phones, but it lacks an ultrawide sensor.

Battery

The presence of a much bigger 4200 mAh battery makes the Huawei Mate 30 the longest-lasting battery phone of this trio. It even has the fastest charging technology and supports reverse wireless charging, unlike Google Pixel 4 and OnePlus 7T.

Price

Huawei Mate 30 starts from about $588/€529 in the Asian market, OnePlus 7T from about €599/$666 globally, and Google Pixel 4 costs €759/$799. In terms of overall specifications, Huawei Mate 30 is the most advanced one due to a better camera, longer-lasting battery, and an optional 5G variant. That is why it is my favorite one. But OnePlus 7T has higher performance and a better display, do not forget it.

• Read More: Pixel 4 display won’t run at 90Hz for apps like Google Maps & WeChat (4 apps blacklisted)

Google Pixel 4 vs OnePlus 7T vs Huawei Mate 30: PRO and CONS

OnePlus 7T

PROS

• Slimmer design
• Higher performance
• Better display
• Stereo speakers

CONS

• Nothing particular

Google Pixel 4

PROS

• More updated operating system
• Compact design
• Motion Sense radar
• Squeeze features
• Stereo speakers

CONS

• Costlier

Huawei Mate 30

PROS

• Amazing cameras
• 5G (optional)
• Bigger battery
• Reverse wireless charging
• Splashproof
• Face ID
• Stereo speakers
• Expandable storage

CONS

• Bigger notch
• Bigger dimensions
• Limited availability

The post Google Pixel 4 vs OnePlus 7T vs Huawei Mate 30: Specs Comparison appeared first on Gizmochina.

The Google Pixel 4 has only just launched, and we’re already getting new Google Camera ports with added features that previously weren’t available. While the phone itself is getting quite a bit of negative reception, the cameras are still an absolute highlight and remain as what carries the device against other competitors. A big part of this is in the extra features.

One such feature that people really love is the new Astrophotography shooting mode, which is great for picking up stars and other cosmic activity. Well, a modified version of Google Camera 7.2 has brought Super Res Zoom and the Astrophotography mode to older Pixel smartphones.

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Features included in Version 7.2.010, as listed on the XDA-Developers forum, are:

• Enable Astro mode for Pixel 1 & 2
• Enable Focus options in Night Sight (along with “infinity” – may be same as far)
• Modded lib for Learned Depth in Portrait Mode (Pixel 2)
• Enable Super Res Zoom while zoomed or in Night Sight (no zoom required) – this is like Pixel 3 stock
• Enable auto timer (photobooth), it’s in the selfie camera in the Timer options
• Enable synthetic fill flash for Pixel 2 and enable SFF in Camera mode for 3a

If you own a Pixel 1 or Pixel 2, you may want to consider giving this mod a try. While the Pixel 3 will get lots of the features ported down from the Pixel 4, the Pixel 1 and 2 might not get quite as much love from Google this time around. If you do own an older Pixel smartphone, you can check out cstark27’s thread here to download the modified Google Camera 7.2 APK.

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(Source)

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Google recently launched its next-generation flagship smartphones — Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. Both the phones come with almost the same set of features and specifications, except for the screen size and battery.

As usual, one of the major highlight of the smartphone is the camera department. While the Pixel series phones have always been known for their camera performance, this time the company has gone a step ahead to make sure it maintains the lead.

Now, DxOMark has published the result of their camera review for the Google Pixel 4 in which the smartphone has scored 112 points overall. The photography department has scored 117 points while the video department scored 101 points.

With an overall score of 112, the Google Pixel 4 is ranked among the top ten smartphone devices in DxOMark database. The report adds that Google’s latest device offers a nice step forward for stills over its predecessor, with noticeable improvements in most areas and a notable jump in the quality of zoom shots.

The phone remains slightly behind the Huawei Mate 30 Pro, mainly because of the lack of both an ultra-wide camera and a time-of-flight (ToF) sensor. These omissions put the Google’s device at an immediate disadvantage compared to the triple- and quad-cam devices in our wide-angle and bokeh testing, and that affects its overall ranking, says DxOMark.

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What works for the Pixel 4 in terms of photos is vivid and pleasant colors in bright light, good exposure in all conditions, fast and accurate autofocus in bright light, good color and exposure in flash-auto mode, and good detail at close and medium range zoom. However, it has couple of issues such as loss of detail and visible noise and occasional depth estimation artifacts in bokeh mode.

As for the specifications, the phone features a 12.2-megapixel primary sensor on the back with f/1.7 aperture along with a 16-megapixel telephoto lens with f/2.4 aperture. On the front side, the device comes with an 8-megapixel snapper for taking selfies.

The Google Pixel 4 features an OLED display with 90Hz refresh rate and comes powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC along with 6GB RAM and 64GB or 128GB internal storage. It runs Android 10 operating system out-of-the-box and is backed by a 2,800mAh battery with 18W fast charging support.

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(Source)

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Google Pixel 4’s new set of sensors on top of the display was the talk of the town over the past few weeks. Such a setup warranted powerful features like Motion Sense and an ultra-fast Face Unlock.  But once the phone was launched, reviewers noted that the soli radar based ‘Motion Sense’ experience was underwhelming. Even the Face Unlock feature on the Pixel 4, which was very secure on paper, came with a major flaw.

Over the past couple of years, Face Unlock has become a huge part of our smartphone experience. But most Android smartphone makers have so far opted for a less expensive and less secure Face Unlock technology. So it was exciting to see Google’s own version of Face Unlock which was secured. But it turns out, Google’s Face Unlock has a major flaw, it works even when the user’s eyes are closed. So, if the Pixel 4 user is sleeping or even dead, Face Unlock will be able to open the phone.

Most Face Unlock mechanisms, even the ones that just rely on the front camera, cannot unlock your smartphone if your eyes are shut. For example, OnePlus 7T‘s Face Unlock needs at least one eye to be open in order to unlock the device. This is a very important feature to ensure no one can unlock your phone while you are sleeping. But Google has confirmed that Pixel 4’s Face Unlock works even when your eyes are shut and unfortunately, there’s no workaround to the issue.

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Technically, Google doesn’t consider this as an issue as it believes this allows for a seamless and ultra-fast unlocking experience. But many don’t share the same feeling. BBC’s Chris Fox was the first to spot this issue. He even tweeted with video proof.

Proof, for those asking #madebygoogle #pixel4 pic.twitter.com/mBDJphVpfB

— Chris Fox (@thisisFoxx) October 15, 2019

Google doesn’t confirm whether it will add an option to fix this (issue?). But given how this particular point has got global coverage, it’s quite possible that the company adds a toggle setting via a future update to force ‘eyes to be open’ before unlocking the device.

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(Source)

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Last week, Google unwrapped the Pixel 4 series featuring various astonishing features such as motion sensing, smart camera, and high-end specifications. Along with the beautiful design and features, Google also packed it with some excellent live wallpapers. Thanks to some third-party developers who have extracted these Pixel 4 live wallpapers and made them available for any Android device.

Must Read: How to install Gcam 7.0 with Astrophotography mode on Poco F1, Redmi K20, Redmi Note 7, Realme 5 Pro and other devices

A senior XDA developer – Pranav Pandey who also pulled Pixel 2 and Pixel 3 wallpapers for other devices is again at work. He has successfully ported all the Pixel 4 live wallpapers into a modded APK. A new Slice Viewer app also allows the users to customize some of the wallpapers by adding new objecting, controlling animation speed and color.

Pixel 4 Specifications

Google launched two new smartphones – Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL carrying the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset. However, the Pixel 4 comes with a 5.7-inch Full HD+ OLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate. It is coupled with 6GB RAM and 128GB internal storage. The device comes with a 2800 mAH battery with facelock and Titan M security module.

In optics, Pixel 4 carries a dual camera module with a 12MP primary sensor and a 16 MP telephoto lens. There’s an 8MP sensor on the front for selfies and video calling. It is available in three different colors of Just Black, Clearly White and Oh So Orange. It measures 5.7 x 2.7 x 0.3 inches and weighs 5.7 ounces.

As far as the Pixel 4 XL is concerned, then it carries a 6.3-inch 90HZ display with the resolution of 3040 x 1440 display. It is available two different storage variants of 6GB + 128GB and 6GB + 64GB internal storage variants. It is powered with a 3700 mAH battery.

Download Pixel 4 Live Wallpapers

Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL carry several live wallpapers but the most dynamic are the Doodles, Compass, and Sights of the Sun. The new Doodles are customizable with some new objects and animation speed with the help of the Slice Viewer app. The wallpapers work perfectly on all Android devices. The Compass theme also looks good with the needle pointing towards the north. Some nature-inspired wallpapers refresh minds with animated birds, waves and clouds.

These will drain more battery, so don’t complain if you’re using the Pixel 4 live wallpapers. To check out the wallpapers you can download the apk from the link below. If you want to customize the wallpapers, don’t forget to install the Slice Viewer app from the wardrobe.

Download Pixel 4 Wallpapers

Download Slice Viewer App

Steps to Customize the Doodle live wallpapers?

1. Set the Compass, Doodle or Sights From The Sun live wallpapers.
2. Now open the Slice Viewer app and Enable Do it yourself.
3. Now, edit the wallpaper by selecting the color location and animation speed of the respective wallpapers.
4. Wallpapers will show changes in real-time.

The new wallpapers are only working on Snapdragon devices, the devices running on Exynos and Kirin are left in the lurch. We hope in the coming few days, other devices will also start supporting Pixel 4 live wallpapers.

Related: Download Redmi Note 8 Pro Wallpapers in HD Quality

(source)

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After months of teasing, leaks, and rumors, Google finally launched the all-new Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL flagship smartphones at a press event in New York. However, the smartphones won’t get launched in India — one of the leading smartphone markets in the world.

The major reason behind Google not launching the newly announced Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL in India is a new feature on the device named Project Soli. It is a radar-based motion-sensing chip integrated into the smartphones that uses 60GHz mmWave frequency band.

While Google has managed to get required permission to use the above mentioned frequency bands in several countries, India is not in the list. As per the report, the company failed to secure permission from the local authority in India to use this frequency band, which the nation has yet to open for commercial usage.

In a statement, a Google spokesperson said, “Google has a wide range of products that we make available in different regions around the world. We determine availability based on a variety of factors, including local trends, and product features. We decided not to make Pixel 4 available in India. We remain committed to our current Pixel phones and look forward to bringing future Pixel devices to India.”

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The radar sensors on the new Pixel smartphones enable support for a number of human interactions. Sabrina Ellis, VP of Product Management at Google, claimed that Pixel 4 has the fastest secure face unlock on a smartphone, “because the process starts before you have even picked up the smartphone.” She further added that Motion sense prepares the camera when user reaches for the Pixel 4, thus there’s no need to tap the screen. It also enables hands-free gesture controls on the smartphone.

It’s noteworthy that this is the first time Google is skipping the launch of Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL smartphones in India. Prior to this, all the Nexus series phones and Pixel series phones had made their way to to the Indian market, days after their global launch.

The Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are available in Just Black, Clearly White, and Oh So Orange (Limited Edition) color options. While the Pixel 4 is priced at $799 for the 64GB version and $899 for the 128GB version, the XL variant is priced at $899 for the 64GB version and $999 for the 128GB variant. The phones are now up for pre-order and will start shipping from 21st October.

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Google is set to launch its latest flagship smartphones, the Pixel 4 lineup at the “Made By Google” event which is scheduled for the 15th of October. A day before their announcement, tipster Ishan Agarwal has shared a Tweet claiming that the company will discontinue the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL after the launch of its latest high-end devices.

This is the Google Pixel line-up for this year and a comparison image for the same: Pixel 4, 4XL, 3a and 3a XL. Found the same marketing image as well. Looks like Pixel 3 will be discontinued after all. #Pixel4 #madebygoogle pic.twitter.com/XJDDCbkCFa

— Ishan Agarwal (@ishanagarwal24) October 12, 2019

Noteworthy, this would be the first time that Google adopts this strategy. After the launch of the Pixel 2 in the October of 2017, Google continued selling its predecessor, the original Pixel at a discounted price. A similar policy was adopted last year when Google Pixel 3 was launched, as the company continued selling the Pixel 2 at a lowered price to entice customers looking for an economical handset.

In 2018, Google has launched two affordable siblings of the Pixel 3, dubbed the Pixel 3a and the Pixel 3a XL, they naturally have watered down specs in comparison original handset. Nonetheless, they retain the same camera sensors and exceptional photography performance that Pixel 3 is known for.

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Therefore, Google no longer needs to sell the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL at a lowered price after the launch the of Pixel 4 lineup as it isn’t a very profitable scheme for the company. Moreover, due to poor sales of Pixel 3 lineup, the company has already slashed its price permanently by $ 300. Consequently, the difference between the price of the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3a lineup is just $ 100. Henceforth, it won’t make much sense to reduce their price any further.

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Google will unveil its latest flagship smartphones, the Pixel 4 lineup at its upcoming “Made By Google” event which is scheduled for the 15th of October. At the same event, the company will also lift covers from the long-awaited Pixel Watch and a new notebook claims a report published by Asia Nikkei.

Last year, there were rumours that Google would introduce its first smartwatch, but that clearly did not happen as such a device was nowhere to be found at 2018 Made by Google event. Following the event, a report surfaced that stated Google is not satisfied with WearOS, therefore, the launch of the alleged Pixel Watch did not take place.

Earlier this year, the company spent $40 million to acquire an intellectual property from Fossil which is referred to as “innovative” smartwatch. At that time, a Fossil executive said that the intellectual property bought by Google is “based on something out of our timeline, it’s new to the market technology and we think it’s a product that has features and benefits that aren’t in the category today.”

In the month of September, it was revealed that the IP purchased by Google was linked to a hybrid smartwatch i.e a timepiece that resembles a conventional watch but has smart features. It was dubbed di-ana which is derived from the words di-gital and an-alog. While Google had shelled out a serious sum of money to acquire this IP, it did not appear to be a worthy purchase. With that being said, it is assumed that Google wanted to get hold of the 20 engineers from Fossil which were a part of the deal.

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Noteworthy, the USPTO had published a smartwatch patent in the month of April, this year which was assigned to Google. The patent exhibits a “quick swap feature” which, as the name suggests, will allow device owners to quickly replace the wrist straps on their smartwatch.

To wrap things up, the claim of Google unveiling its first Pixel Watch at 2019 Made By Google seem highly likely. However, we will have to wait until the event which is scheduled for next Tuesday, in order to verify whether these claims turn out real or not.

(via)

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Google is set to launch its latest flagship smartphones, the Pixel 4 lineup which will be unveiled on the 15th of October. In addition to the 4G variant, Google could also unveil 5G variant of these smartphones at the same event claims a report published by Nikkei Asia.

If this turns out true, Google will not only beat Apple but it will also defeat Microsoft who has recently re-entered the smartphone market with the Surface Duo, and every other corporation in the race of launching first 5G compatible smartphone made by an American company.

According to the source, Google has started test production of its first 5G smartphone which is currently ongoing in China. However, taking the US-China trade war into consideration and to avoid any sort of tarriffs, Google will ultimately esatablish a manufacturing unit outside of China. The leading option for the location is a Vietnamese facility which is currently under construction and will be ready by the end of this year.

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The 5G compatible Pixel 4 or whatever Google’s first 5G phone will be named is expected to be commercially available in spring of 2020. Accordingly, the 5G handset could go on sale between 1st of March and 31st May next year. At the time of its commercial launch, the company is also reported to lift covers from an affordable variant of Pixel 4 which is presumed to be the Pixel 4A.

The source also revealed that the alleged 5G smartphone from Google will be equipped with Snapdragon 855 mobile platform of chipsets which is supplied by Qualcomm.

While Asia Nikkei questioned Google about the authenticity of these claims, as of now the Global search giant has refrained from responding. Nonetheless, 15th of October is approaching fast, therefore, we wont have to wait for long to know whether Google will  actually be crowned the title of “first American company to launch a 5G compatible smartphone” or not.

(source)

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Ever since their debut, Google Pixel smartphones have been touted as one of the best camera smartphones running on Android OS. However, with the launch of the Pixel 3 lineup in the year 2018, they have been deemed the best camera on any smartphone, regardless of the operating system.

However, with the latest iPhone 11 Pro that sports a triple camera setup, some believe that Apple once again started to take the lead pack from the Pixel 3. With that being said,   Google is gearing for the launch of its latest Pixel 4 smartphone lineup which will be unveiled on the 15th of October. Ahead of their official announcement, full-resolution camera samples taken from the upcoming smartphones have surfaced that exhibit praiseworthy photography performance.

The first set of images boast of the selfie capturing capabilities of the Pixel 4. Surprisingly, both the images have a resolution of 4.5 MP which has a significantly lower resolution from the Pixel 3 that shot selfies in 8 MP resolution. Needless to say, the images produced still look remarkable.

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The leak has also revealed some portrait-style images captured from Pixel 4’s dual rear camera, highlighting how much of a difference an additional sensor can make in comparison to just one sensor found on its predecessor. Right off the bat, bokeh effect around the subject in both the images look exceptional with proper subject recognition.

1 of 3

The Golden retriever also appears in few more camera samples of the Pixel 4 which look very crisp. It is currently unknown whether these photo samples are captured with the ‘Motion Mode’ processing turned on that the upcoming devices were previously reported to have. The first image has a resolution of 12.2MP shot and it boasts of impressive dynamic range. 

While not many samples of action shots are available, we do have access to Pixel 4’s improved Night Sight performance. These samples demonstrate the extraordinary capability of the smartphone to capture bold colours even in under-lit conditions.

Google Pixel smartphones are well regarded for their Nightscape mode, but with Pixel 4, the company has taken this a step further. Going by the samples, the upcoming smartphones would even be able to take shots of the stars and the Milky Way at night.  Clearly, these shots look breathtaking for something captured on a smartphone that can slide in a jeans pocket.

Other samples of the Pixel 4 include macro shots, silhouette shots and an appetise boosting food shot.

1 of 3

To wrap things up, all the images shared above look fantastic and Google might overdeliver in terms of photography with it latest smartphones. In order to obtain full specs, price and other features of Pixel 4, we will have to wait until its official launch which is set for the 15th of October, as previously mentioned.

(via)

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Google is all set to introduce the new-gen Pixel 4 lineup next month, and it’s possibly one of the worst kept tech secrets of all time. Ahead of its launch, the Pixel 4 has been making splashes over the web giving an insight on the renders. Now, in the latest developments, a new color option of the device has been tipped.

9to5Google found that a couple of Redditors—LousyTX and NVRLand— snapped a few photos of a Times Square billboard showing off the Pixel 4. The ad not only confirms the back camera design of the Pixel 4 series, but also the Coral color option. This will be the third color option along with black and white.

It also also confirms one of the “few new things Made by Google” that the tech giant will be launching at its upcoming hardware event. To recall, the invite that Google sent out earlier this week didn’t reveal the products that the company was planning to launch. It simply said — “Come see a few new things Made by Google”.

What is more interesting about the billboard is that Google is also confirming the new square-ish camera island. According to reports, both Pixels will feature Snapdragon 855, 6GB of RAM and dual rear cameras. This dual setup will comprise a 12 MP main sensor along with a 16 MP telephoto one. The smaller Pixel 4 will ship 5.7″ 90Hz 1080p+ OLED display and a really disappointing 2,800 mAh battery.

Really, at this point it’d be more surprising to NOT find out something about the Pixel 4 every day. We wouldn’t even be shocked if the Pixel 5 leaked at the launch event at this rate. Still, at least the upcoming Pixel 4 seems like a decent upgrade over the previous Pixel smartphones. We’ll keep covering Google Pixel 4 news as it comes, so stay tuned.

UP NEXT: Google sends out invite for October 15 event; Pixel 4 coming

(Source)

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Google has been delivering some cool juice on the software with successive versions of the Android operating system. On the hardware turf, the US tech company has also been superb right from the Nexus to the latest iteration of the Pixel phones. The company has already confirmed he Pixel 4 is in the works but the launch date is yet to be disclosed. A new leak by popular tipster Evan Blass (@evleaks) suggests the Pixel 4 will be launched on October 15.

The leak comes in the form of a render of the Pixel 4 which seems to come from a screen protector maker. The device’s home screen is displaying the current date as October 15. Of course, October 15 is still more than a month away so this is likely a clue to the launch of the Pixel 4 launch date. The render also shows the device will have a large bezel at the top. The bezel houses an Apple-like Face ID system, and Soli radar sensors that enable motion sensing. The device may not have a physical fingerprint sensor anywhere, as it looks like Google is going all-in with facial recognition, just like Apple.

A second image said to be that of the Pixel 4 XL running the DevCheck Hardware and Software Info app. The display shows the Pixel 4 XL is powered by the Snapdragon 855 chipset, and not the 855+. The device is also said to pack a 6.23-inch display with a screen resolution of 3040×1440 pixel and 19:9 aspect ratio.

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Earlier leaked had tipped the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL to sport 90Hz displays, pack 6GB of RAM, and two rear cameras (the main sensor and a telephoto lens). The Pixel 4 XL was said to get a 3,700 mAh battery, while the Pixel 4 with a 5.7-inch display would pack a 2,800 mAh battery. There is no doubt that the Pixel 4 and 4 XL will run Android 10 right out of the box.

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(source 1, 2)

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For fans of Pure Android who are willing to shell out more money for a premium device, the Google Pixel 4 is definitely on their radar. Google’s upcoming smartphones will not only bring a pure Android experience but will also be the phone to beat when it comes to camera performance.

Although a release date is still unknown there has been a steady stream of leaks keeping us satiated. The latest is a promotional video and a couple of live photos that reveal an interesting color variant.

The 1-minute long promotional video highlights some of the software features of the phone such as the gesture control which is powered by the Soli radar chip, the usefulness of the Google Assistant, and the phone’s low-light camera performance. We also get a tease of the phone’s zoom capabilities as the video shows a shot of a star-filled sky being captured.

The video highlights the fact that this is a device made by Google, the same people behind YouTube and Google Maps, and that “you get more than a phone, you get a phone made the Google way”.

In the video, we see the Google Pixel 4 in white with a black frame and black bezels in front. The square camera housing is unmissable and the LED flash sticks out like a sore thumb against the black camera housing.

[envira-gallery id=”275198″]

The other leaks are live photos of the phone and they reveal the Pixel 4 will come in orange or coral. This color variant looks gorgeous and will look really nice next to the coral Google Home Mini. The Pixel 4 will also come in white and black. The latter is the only whose camera housing actually blends since it is also black. All three appear to have an orange power button.

The Pixel 4 should launch next month based on the release dates of its predecessors. When it does, it should ship with Android 10 out of the box as well as some Pixel-exclusive software features.

(Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4)

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Google took an unusual step back in June when it confirmed a couple of leaked renders then as those of the Pixel 4. Since then, the company has even teased a couple of sots of the device. The specifications of the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL were also outed recently. A new set of leaked live pictures of the Pixel 4 has appeared online giving us our first up-close look at the front of the upcoming flagship.

The pictures started making the rounds on Telegram recently and were shared on Twitter by XDA’s Mishaal Rahman. The size affirms that it is likely the smaller Pixel 4 but what makes it spectacular is that thisis the first time the phone’s entire front is shown.

The Pixel 4 will pack a 5.7-inch screen with a rather thin bottom bezel and an equally modest top bezel despite the number of sensors that is crammed inside. At the left side, we can see the ambient light/proximity sensor flashing, while the single selfie camera is next to it but we can’t say if it is a wide-angle lens. Also, the speaker grill at the top is more narrow but wider than that of the Pixel 3.

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The Pixel 4 is also expected to have a face unlock IR camera, Soli radar chip and face unlock dot projector, second IR camera, and flood illuminator but these are not visible on the screen.

From the gesture navigation bar and the Assistant handles on the display, we can see that the phone is running Android 10. Other features which confirm this indeed could be the Pixel 4 is the two notifications on-screen for “Pixel Setup” and the Play Store. Sprint is boldly displayed as the carrier on which the leaked phone gets its network connectivity.

Although we have seen the Pixel 4’s rear design the leaked image is worth taking a look at. The most spectacular feature on the rear is the square-shaped camera module. The module houses a 12MP main shooter with phase-detect auto-focu, a 16MP telephoto lens and an LED flash.

The rear panel also comes with a smooth glossy finish with the glass panel curved slightly at the edges into the frame. The volume rockers and power button are also visible at the right edge of the display.

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Google is working on its next-generation Pixel flagship smartphone — Pixel 4 series and the company recently confirmed the phone’s design when it shared a render of the upcoming smartphone, surprising everyone.

Now, the company has yet again shared details about its upcoming smartphone, breaking the company’s norms. It confirmed that the upcoming flagship smartphone will come with support for air gestures and face unlock.

These features will be a part of something that the company calls “Motion Sense” and are powered by the company’s Soli chip. While the Face Unlock feature isn’t new and almost all smartphone makers are offering this feature, Google says that its version will be the fastest and the safest ever.

As for the security measures, the search engine giant will be using the Titan M security chip in the upcoming Pixel 4 smartphones, so you don’t have to worry about security. The facial data will be stored in that chip and never online, so it cannot be accessed by anyone else.

And to make sure that the face unlocks feature for the upcoming Pixel 4 smartphone is as good as the company claims it to be, Google confirmed that it conducted field research. In that, the company went out to the streets and paid people with $5 gift cards to scan their faces. This was earlier reported by several media houses but the Mountain View-based company has not confirmed it.

Google says that after 18 months of collecting the data, it will get rid of the face data that the company collected for these tests. It also said that currently the face scans are “encrypted and access restricted” with no connections to people’s Google account.

Seeing the way Google is going all-out for this “Motion Sense” feature, it seems that the feature will be a major selling point for the upcoming Pixel 4 series devices. It remains to be seen how it fares in the real world and how people receives it. For that, we’ll have to wait until the commercial launch of the upcoming flagship smartphone from Google.

(Source)

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Google is expected to unleash the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL smartphones by October this year. Concept Creator has shared a new concept video on YouTube to showcase the design of the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL smartphones. It claims that the Pixel 4 and 4 XL concept has been designed based on the leaks surrounding it.

The Pixel 4 series concept video shows that it will be borrowing the rear design from the Pixel 3 series. The concept models show that they are equipped with two-tone design. The upper portion is made out of glass whereas the other part seems to be of metal.

The Pixel 4 concept device features a single camera on its rear whereas the Pixel 4 XL may come with dual rear cameras. The rear cameras along with LED flash are placed on the top-left corner on the rear shells of these devices.

The Pixel 4 XL concept model sports a better-looking display notch compared to the Pixel 3 XL. The notch houses the dual selfie snappers. The Pixel 4 model also sports the same design. The bezels surrounding the display including the chin are extremely thin. Both phones are equipped with different colored power keys, a volume rocker and a dedicated camera button on their left edge.

The bottom edge on both devices feature a 3.5mm audio jack, a microphone, a SIM tray and a USB-C port. Both phones are equipped with dual front-firing speakers. The first speaker is placed on the top edge of the device whereas the other is present on the super-slim chin. There is no fingerprint scanner on the backside of these phones since they are equipped with in-display fingerprint reader.

As far as specs and features are concerned, the Pixel 4 series concept models are equipped with Snapdragon 855 mobile platform, 8  GB of RAM, 3,950mAh battery, dual cameras, microSD card slot, 3.5mm audio jack, wide-angle selfies, 4K video shooting at 60 fps, super slow-motion, night sight mode, Wi-Fi 6, 5G ready, dual speakers, noise reducing mic, improved cameras, two-day battery life, S-AMOLED display, 6.3-inch 1440p screen (Pixel 4 XL), 5.5-inch screen (Pixel 4), reduced notch, IP68 rated body, in-display fingerprint scanner, unlimited storage on Google Photos and 25W quick charge.

The rumor mill is yet to leak the information on the forthcoming flagship Pixel phones. Its been nearly six months since the launch of Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL smartphones. Hence, the actual Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL may not look like as the concept models shown above. The Pixel 4 series are unlikely to feature 3.5mm audio jack since they have been already axed in the predecessor models. Also, the upcoming Pixel phones may not feature a dedicated camera key.

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