In a recent settlement, Google has agreed to pay $8 million to resolve a lawsuit filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The lawsuit alleged that Google ran misleading advertisements for its Pixel 4 smartphones in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston markets. The company was accused of creating false narratives through DJs’ testimonials without actually providing them with the devices. This article explores the details of the case, the implications for Google, and its subsequent efforts to revive the Pixel line with the Pixel 6 series.

The Pixel 4 series was unreleased when the ads claiming “Personal Use” aired on the Radio

According to the lawsuit, Google produced ad scripts that DJs at iHeartMedia read on-air, claiming personal use and endorsement of the Pixel 4. These ads touted features like Night Sight mode and Google Assistant’s capabilities. However, at the time the commercials aired, the Pixel 4 had not been released, and the announcers had never laid hands on the devices. The Texas Attorney General’s office accused Google of engaging in false, misleading, and deceptive acts.

The settlement with Texas marks Google’s second payout related to the same radio spots. Previously, the company settled with the Federal Trade Commission and six other states for $9 million. These settlements highlight the need for transparency and honesty in advertising practices. Attorney General Paxton emphasized the importance of holding corporations accountable for their misdeeds, ensuring that large companies do not receive special treatment under the law.

Despite the controversial ad campaign, the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL failed to live up to expectations. The devices aimed to challenge Apple’s iPhone with features like secure Face Unlock and Motion Sense. However, the Soli radar chip’s potential for gesture controls was underutilized, limiting its functionality.

The settlement of the lawsuit against Google for misleading advertisements serves as a reminder of the importance of truthfulness in marketing campaigns. While the Pixel 4 faced numerous challenges and fell short of expectations, Google is determined to bounce back with its Pixel 6 series. As the company learns from past mistakes, it aims to regain consumer trust and deliver an enhanced smartphone experience.

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• Best iPhone 13 Mini Alternatives in 2023

(Via)

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Google has released the Android 13 OS upgrade. The Pixel phones are the first devices to receive the latest Android upgrade. The company confirmed that it will also be made available on devices from Asus, HMD Global, iQOO, Motorola, OPPO, Realme, Samsung, Sharp, Tecno, Vivo, and Xiaomi. Some other brands are also planning to release the Android 13 upgrade later this year.

The stable edition of Android 13 is now available for Pixel devices, such as the Pixel 4, Pixel 4XL, Pixel 5, Pixel 6, and Pixel 6 Pro. It is also available for Pixel A-series devices, such as the Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a (5G), Pixel 5a 5G, and Pixel 6a.

Once upgraded to Android 13, owners of the Pixel 6a, Pixel 6, and Pixel 6 Pro will not be able to roll back to Android 12. On the official factory images page for Pixel devices, there is no mention of the anti-rollback for other Android 13 eligible Pixel devices.

Android 13 offers a refined experience of the Material You theme. It allows users to customize non-Google apps to match the wallpaper theme and colors of the phone. It allows users to assign specific languages to individual apps.

It features an updated media player that modifies its look and feel based on what’s being played. The Bedtime mode now offers new features such as wallpaper dimming and a dark theme. New apps that are installed on the device will need permission from the user to send notifications. Previously, it allowed newly installed apps to send notifications by default. Android 13 brings support for Spatial Audio on compatible headphones. It carries support for Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Audio.

Android 13 also allows users to copy content like a URL, image, text, or video and paste it onto other Android devices. To know about other features of Android 13, users can head to Google’s official blog post.

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• Google Pixel Watch hinted to offer lackluster battery life on Fitbit app
• Google might have just hinted at the Pixel 7 launch month
• Google Pixel 6a sports a 90Hz display, but brand caps it at 60Hz, Here’s why
• Best Foldable Phones 2022; Samsung, Motorola, Huawei
• OnePlus Nord 2T Review: Good Phone with Bad Software
• OPPO Reno 8 Unboxing & First Impressions: Flagship camera, superfast charging, stylish design
• Apple M2-powered MacBook Air teardown review
• AOSTIRMOTOR S18 Review: Likely the best budget all-terrain E-Bike
• Xiaomi 12S Ultra Full Review: 1-inch Sensor with Leica Color Science

The post Android 13 OS upgrade arrives for Pixel 6, 6 Pro, 6a, 5, 5a, 4, 4XL, 4a, 4a (5G) appeared first on Gizmochina.

Yesterday, Google officially announced the Android 13 Beta program at the opening day keynote of the Google I/O 2022 conference. Just like the past few years, the search giant has partnered with multiple OEMs to enable developers to try out the upcoming version of Android.

Just like last year with the Android 12 Beta initiative, a total of 12 OEMs are part of the Android 13 Beta program. The only difference is that TCL has been replaced with Lenovo this time around.

Though most companies offer Android 13 Beta for a single device, there are some who provide builds for multiple products. Hence, the total number of eligible devices is actually 22, which happens to be 10 more than the OEMs involved.

Unsurprisingly, Google is the one with the most number of products, 8 Pixels smartphones to be precise. It is followed by Xiaomi with 3 devices comprising two smartphones and a tablet. Oppo is also offering builds for a smartphone and a foldable. Whereas, the remaining brands are limited to a single product.

With that out of the way, let’s take a look at all the smartphones and tablets on which you can try Android 13.

Android 13 Beta Supported Smartphones and Tablets

• Google

  • Pixel 4
  • Pixel 4 XL
  • Pixel 4a
  • Pixel 4a 5G
  • Pixel 5
  • Pixel 5a
  • Pixel 6
  • Pixel 6 Pro

• Xiaomi

  • Xiaomi 12
  • Xiaomi 12 Pro
  • Xiaomi Pad 5

• Oppo

  • Oppo Find X5 Pro
  • Oppo Find N

• Asus

  • Asus Zenfone 8

• Lenovo

  • Lenovo Tab P12 Pro

• HMD Global

  • Nokia X20

• Oneplus

  • Oneplus 10 Pro

• Realme

  • Realme GT 2 Pro

• Sharp

  • Sharp Aquos Sense 6

• Tecno

  • Tecno Camon 19 Pro 5G

• Vivo

  • Vivo X80 Pro

• ZTE

  • ZTE Axon 40 Ultra

RELATED:

• Google Pixel 6a with 6.1-inch OLED display, Tensor chipset launched for $449
• Google’s upcoming premium Android-powered Pixel Tablet to launch next year
• Google previews its upcoming Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro flagship smartphones
• Google Pixel Watch announced packing an “improved” Wear OS 3 & more!
• Google Pixel Buds Pro launched with ANC, long battery life for $199

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Google rolled out the May security patch later this week. Now the tech giant has followed it up with the release of Android 12 QPR Beta 3 for Pixel phones. This is the last beta version of Google Pixel’s June Feature Drop. Like the previous beta update, this update is also compatible with Google Pixel 4 and newer only.

The update features the May 2022 security patch that rolled out recently on Monday. Apart from the security patch, the beta update also focuses on stability improvements and bug fixes. Let’s see what issues it resolves.

Top resolved issue:

• Fixed an issue on Pixel 6 Pro devices where a white line sometimes flashed on the screen after waking up a device that was not configured to always display time and other info on the lock screen.
• Fixed various issues to improve call quality and connectivity.
• Fixed a keystore issue that caused the NHS COVID-19 app to crash when launching.

Other open issues:

• In some cases, on Pixel 6 and 6 Pro devices, the system crashes when the user tries to take a picture using the camera.
• In some cases, the Google Camera app icon in a device’s personal profile erroneously displays a work profile indicator.

If your pixel is compatible with the Android 12 QPR Beta 3, you can install the update by clicking here. This link will take you to the Android Beta Program. Once you open the link, tap on the banner that displays “View your eligible devices” and you’ll be able see an image of your Pixel. Tap on the “Opt-In” button on the bottom and within 24 hours you will receive an OTA update including the QPR Beta 3.

Please note that after installing the QPR Beta 3 update, you will not be able to install Android 13 Beta 1 and have to wait until Beta 2 arrives.

Related:

• Google Pixel Notepad display size revealed, short and wide like the OPPO Find N
• Internet users can now request for the removal of their personal data from Google search results
• Google’s Pixel Watch is rumored to feature cellular connectivity & a 300mAh battery 

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The Pixel 4 was one of two flagship phones Google announced in 2019. The phone had a different design from the Pixel 3 but it turns out it could have had a different design.

Prototype photos of the Pixel 4 have been posted on the web and they show Google experimented with a curved display for the flagship. The retail version of the Pixel 4 has a flat display.

The photos were shared on Twitter by Mishaal Rahman, the former Editor-in-Chief of XDA Developers. The photos were originally posted on a Chinese forum according to the source that shared the photos with him

Speaking of the Pixel 4, right after I tweeted this, @trzpro sent me some images of various prototype models. If these are real, then it means some of the prototypes had curved displays. Retail models have curved edges but the display is flat. https://t.co/0NivaBHe9M pic.twitter.com/r6C0JpmwBi

— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) October 22, 2021

The curved display is not the only thing that didn’t make it to the final version. The photo also shows the prototype Pixel 4 has a thick bezel for its chin similar to that of the Pixel 3. On the back, there isn’t a significant difference from the final model. The camera housing is a squircle and it is home to two cameras.

The Pixel 4 launched with a 5.7-inch FHD+ 90Hz OLED display, a Snapdragon 855 processor, 6GB of RAM, and up to 128GB of storage. The phone has a thick bezel at the top that is home to an 8MP front-facing camera, a ToF 3D sensor, and components for the Soli Radar technology that allows for a variety of different functions.

The phone also packed a 12.2MP main camera and a 16MP telephoto camera with OIS and 2x optical zoom. It also has a 2800mAh battery capacity, support for 18W fast charging and wireless charging, stereo speakers, Face ID, an IP68 rating, and dual-SIM support with eSIM. It launched with Android 10 and is upgradeable to Android 12.

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• Download Google Camera 8.3 from Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro

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Amazon has filed a document with the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) seeking permission to use radar technology to achieve sleep tracking in its products. When it becomes operational, Amazon’s move will also make it possible to use hand gestures to control Amazon’s Echo devices, as applied to Google Nest Hub and Pixel 4 smartphones.

Amazon hopes to join Google to engender a better understanding and assessment of sleep using a contactless technology like radar. There is a strong nexus between sleep hygiene, good health, and productivity. Therefore, it is important for a user to effectively determine his sleep trajectory for more excellent health and fitness awareness. For example, the Google Nest Hub Smart display provides a more robust sleep tracking mechanism than current contact methods prevalent in most devices.

The details of the FCC filing by Amazon on the new radar sleep-tracking sensor show that Amazon is claiming the technology can assist in a better understanding of sleep issues by users. The fine details of how the radar technology will work with Amazon devices were not reflected in the FCC document, fuelling speculation that we are still far from the premiering of the technology in an Amazon device. The soon-to-be-released Amazon Echo Show is also not indicated whether the device will come with the radar sensor technology.

With a focus on sleep health on the rise, different devices have been prevalent, including smart wearables and other gadgets, for a comprehensive sleep tracking mechanism. Sleep patterns could provide valuable insights into possible health conditions, and the data logged on sleep is a trove of useful information.

As these techniques continue to be deployed in new devices and data collected, there are still concerns about the privacy of users, which could be breached with unauthorized access to such data.

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(via)

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Google is rolling out a new Pixel Feature Drop update for its Pixel range of smartphones. For those unaware, the search giant is known for introducing new features for its phones every three months via Pixel Feature Drop releases. The latest update for June brings some interesting additions.

The June 2021 Pixel Feature Drop update is being seeded out for the following Google Pixel smartphones.

• Pixel 5
• Pixel 4a (5G)
• Pixel 4a
• Pixel 4 XL
• Pixel 4
• Pixel 3a XL
• Pixel 3a
• Pixel 3 XL
• Pixel 3

Although the entire Pixel range (except the end of support devices) is receiving the update, some features on not available on certain devices. That said, let’s take a look at these new features one by one.

Astrophotography Videos

As the name suggests, users of Pixel 4 and later devices will be now able to record videos while clicking pictures in astrophotography mode. Users can try waiting longer (longer exposure) to click a shot to get more stars in their video.

Heads-up

This feature is part of the Digital Wellbeing app. It will periodically alert users to look up from their handset’s screen while walking. It was previously only available for a select few users.

Locked Folder

This feature was first announced at Google I/O 2021. It will let users save their select photos and videos in Google Photos to a different called ‘Locked Folder’. These media files are hidden locally on the user’s phone and are protected by biometrics. They don’t show up in any other part of the Google Photos app.

Car Crash Detection

Car Crash Detection is part of the Personal Safety app and is not available on Pixel 3a/3a XL. It automatically alerts emergency services when a car crash is detected. This feature was previously only available in the US, the UK, and Australia, But now, it’s rolling out to users in Spain, Ireland, and Singapore.

Call Screen

Call Screen helps users in avoiding spam calls. This feature is now being rolled out in Japan. It was previously only available in the US and Canada.

Recorder

The Google Recorder app is one of the best recorder applications on any platform. The new update brings support for transcription in more English dialects, namely Singaporean, Australian, Irish and British English.

Pride Wallpapers and Sounds

Since June is Pride month, Google is celebrating by adding new Pride-themed wallpapers and sounds.

Call Actions on Google Assistant

Users of Pixel 4 and above can now ask Google Assistant to accept or reject calls. 

Gboard Smart Replies

Gboard can now smartly suggest phone number, email address, and URL in clipboard for replies.

All the above-mentioned new features will be rolled out to eligible Google Pixel smartphones via respective app updates from the Google Play Store in the coming weeks.

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With yesterday being the first Monday of the month, Google has released the January 2021 security update for all the eligible Pixel smartphones. Apart from patching certain vulnerabilities, the build for each device also brings fixes and improvements.

The latest security update for Pixels arrives with a total of six fixes and improvements for different models. They are spread across four categories namely Audio, Display/Graphics, Sensors, and Telephony.

Talking about the common fixes first, all the eligible Pixels – Pixel 3/3 XL, Pixel 3a/3a XL, Pixel 4/4 XL, Pixel 4a/4a 5G, and Pixel 5 get a fix for an issue that causes certain apps to restart intermittently and a fix for an issue that prevents calls on certain MVNO networks. All of these phones also get improvements for auto-rotation response in certain device orientations.

Further, the devices released in 2020 – Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a 5G, and Pixel 5 receive improvements for auto-brightness response in certain lighting conditions. It is worth noting that these handsets have been getting this improvement for a while now with each update.

Lastly, the update brings tuning and improvements for volume level of system sounds on Pixel 5 and fix for an issue causing speaker noise in certain scenarios on Pixel 4a 5G.

That said, the January 2021 update for Pixels is currently being rolled out in batches via OTA worldwide. In case you cannot wait, then either sideload the OTA file or flash the factory image.

UP NEXT: Google rolls out the last-ever system update for Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

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Google’s flagship smartphone launched last year — Pixel 4, had an in-built radar. This was the reason the device was available in selected regions only. However, the company has ditched the Soli radar for this year’s flagship smartphone — Pixel 5.

This means that the “Motion Sense” feature on the smartphone is gone. Does this mean that the Soli radar sensor is gone for good? Well, apparently not. Google’s Rick Osterloh has said to The Verge that Project Soli radar and gestures will return.

He said that the sensor will be used in the future. Explaining why it didn’t make it to this year’s phone, he said that they were too expensive for the phone that the company had planned to make this year.

But note that Rick Osterloh has not confirmed if the hardware will be included in a smartphone in the future. A recent FCC filing had revealed that it might appear in the Nest smart thermostat.

EDITOR’S PICK: Mi 10T series arrives with impressive displays, 5G, big batteries, and competitive price tags

For those who are unaware, the Project Soli on the Pixel 4 smartphone allowed users to wave above the phone to play/pause and skip tracks, as well as dismiss calls and alarms. However, it’s use-case in Pixel 4 didn’t expand much beyond what Google initially offered.

It was started as an experimental project within ATAP and Google spent several years in research as well as in making the radar smaller in size. The company has positioned the air gestures as the future of controlling devices, so it seems likely that the company will keep the technology around and will experiment with it on different types of devices.

UP NEXT: US Justice Department reportedly planning to sue Google over search ads

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Netflix requires certification on devices to play content in the respective format. Every now and then, the video streaming giant updates its list of officially supported devices. The latest change in the list brings back the Pixel 4 series and adds new devices from OnePlus and Oppo.

Even before the Google Pixel 4 series debuted, they were added to the officially supported HDR devices on Netflix’s official website. But they were soon removed as they were yet to go official. However, now as Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL available for purchase, Netflix once again adds them to the list after 5 months from their launch.

Further, the official Netflix HDR list also adds a couple of OnePlus devices namely OnePlus 7T and OnePlus 7T Pro, both of which launched around the same time as the Pixel 4 series. Strangely, the OnePlus 7T Pro McLaren Edition is still missing. Hopefully, that gets listed soon as it is the most expensive smartphone launched by OnePlus to date and has all the necessary hardware requirements for HDR playback.

Finally, the newly launched Oppo Find X2 and Find X2 Pro also make it to the list. It is worth noting that only selected models have been listed and they are PDEM10, PEDT10, CPH2023, PDEM30, and CPH2025 respectively.

UP NEXT: Xiaomi Mi 10 series is now Netflix certified, supports HDR10 streaming format

(Via)

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Android 11 Developer Preview is recently launched ahead of schedule. Google missed a whole quarter and made available the Android 11 developer preview for rigorous compatibility testing with apps and services. It is available for all the Pixel devices and can be installed by following our guide. This year the Search giant appears to be working little earlier than usual in bringing the next Android version.

Must See: First Google Pixel 5 XL render is here; It has an ugly camera bump!

You have landed in the perfect place if you’re looking for to Install Android 11 developer Preview on your Pixel device. However, we don’t recommend the Developer preview installation if it is your daily driver. There are a lot many bugs, and some primary features may not even work on the first preview build of Android 11. It is recommended to be installed on a spare Pixel smartphone. We have prepared a detailed guide to install the Android 11 Developer Preview on Pixel 4, Pixel 3, Pixel 3a, and Pixel 2.

There are many new changes in Android 11 including the new Chat Bubbles, Privacy and Permissions, New Conversation Tab and much more.

Android 11 Features:

• Support 5G, Foldable Display, and machine learning
• Improved Sharing User Interface
• Dark Mode Scheduling
• Airplane Mode doesn’t affect Bluetooth
• Increase Touch Sensitivity
• Mute Notifications while using the camera
• Chat Bubbles
• Improved Privacy and Permissions

Now, in order to install the Android 11 Developer Preview, then follow the steps below after downloading the necessary files from the prerequisites section.

Note: Gizmochina.com is not responsible in no way if your data or device get damaged while installing. Only proceed if you are familiar with the ROM flashing.

Android 11 is compatible with Pixel 2, Pixel 3, PIxel 3A and Pixel 4. It is not compatible with the first Pixel device.

Install Android 11 DP on Pixel smartphones

Prerequisites:

• Make a full backup of your data before proceeding, as your data will be lost while installing the Android 11.
• Download ADB and Fastboot drivers on your PC/Laptop
• Ensure your smartphone is at least 60% charged.

Method1: Install by Sideloading via Recovery and ADB

Note: This method does not require any unlocked bootloader access to install.

Carefully follow the instructions to install the Android 11 Developer Preview.

1. Extract the ADB and fastboot drivers on your PC.
2. Download and save the otaupdate.zip in the ADB and Fastboot directory on PC.
3. Enable Developer Mode by heading to Settings > About Phone > Tap “Build Number” 10 times.
4. Enable the USB Debugging Mode by heading to Settings > Developer Options > toggle “USB Debugging” option.
5. Connect your Pixel smartphone with a computer via a USB cable and authorize your connection if you’re connecting for the first time with ADB computer.
6. Run the below command to confirm the device’s connection with the PC.

   adb devices

7. Execute the following command to reboot into the recovery mode:

   adb reboot recovery

8. Now, select “Apply Update from ADB” on your phone.
9. Flash the Android 11 DP OTA zip(downloaded from the above link) by typing the below command:

   adb sideload "filename".zip

10. The phone will take some time to install the Android 11 DP.
11. Select “Reboot Reboot now” to reboot the system.
12. Enjoy!!

Method 2: Install Full Factory Image via Fastboot

It’s a bit easy method if you have an unlocked bootloader. Moreover, it gives an option to retain user data.

1. Extract ADB and Fastboot tools into a folder on PC.
2. Download the factory image of the respective Pixel smartphone from this link.
3. Enable the Developer mode by heading to Settings > About Phone > Tap “Build Number” 10 times.
4. Enable USB debugging mode by heading to Settings > Developer Options > Enable “USB Debugging”.
5. Extract the downloaded factory image.zip file into your ABD and fastboot folder.
6. Note: If you want to retain data then edit flash-all.sh (For MAC) or flash-all.bat (For Windows) script file with a text editor. Find and remove/delete -w flag in the fastboot update command.
7. Now, Connect your phone with PC using a USB cable.
8. Type the below command to boot into Fastboot mode:
   adb reboot bootloader
9. Execute the following command on Linux/macOS PC:
   flash-all
   Note: For Windows, just double click the flash-all.bat file.
10. The device reboots once your phone reboots into Fastboot mode.

We hope you have successfully installed the Android 11 Developer Preview on all your Pixel devices. If you get any problem, then let us know via the comments below.

Related: How to enable Call Screen feature on all Pixel devices?

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Google Pixel 4 was launched last fall with some exciting new features including inspirational motion gestures. The smartphone inbuilt radar chip helps to efficiently detect your presence under Motion Sense. The whole technology is based on Project Soli which was initially showcased in 2015.

After the mouse, keyboard and touch screen display, the motion gestures are set to become a new medium of interaction between smartphones and humans. However, the feature on Pixel 4 is limited to just a few motion gestures, but its applicability is much diverse. In the coming times, we will see its applicability across different functions on smartphones. Pixel 4 comes with a hand wave gesture to change tracks, pause and play the music and more more.

Must See: How to delete download history on Android?

Other smartphones do not feature any radar chip, but with the help of other sensors and Tasker app, we can attain the Motion Gestures. Tasker is a popular automation app available on the Android ecosystem. It can perform complex functions using multiple triggers. We have crafted a guide to enable Pixel 4 motion gestures on any Android smartphone using Tasker.

Enable Pixel 4 Motion Gestures

It is a bit complex process, as the user has to create multiple triggers to attain Pixel 4 like functionality. We recommend following the process carefully.

Things to Attain

Our procedure will enable motion gestures for Next, Previous, Play and Pause music tracks.

Sending WhatsApp Messages without touching the smartphone.

Prerequisites:

Below are some plugins and permissions you need to accomplish the procedure.

Note: Both the below plugins will require Accessibility Service request. The user can enable it by heading over to Settings > Accessibility.

• Download and Install Tasker App on your Android smartphone.
• Download the AutoInput and AutoNotification Tasker Plugin.

Points to Ponder

After downloading the above apps, the user needs to grant some access to both of these apps.

• Both the AutoInput and AutoNotification apps need Accessibility access. You can grant access to both the apps by heading to Settings > Accessibility.
• After installing the Tasker app, grant the user access and display over other apps access by heading to Usage Access.
• Grant storage, microphone, and body sensors access permission.

Steps to enable Pixel 4 Motion Gestures

Follow the steps carefully to control music and send a WhatsApp message without touching the smartphone.

1. Download or Import the Tasker project over the device.
2. It will prompt to get certain permissions, tap Yes. Follow, the on-screen instructions.
3. After successful import to the profile, head over to the profile section to make sure that profiles are free of any exclamation mark. (Note: If any exclamation mark occurs, then recheck the permissions as some might be missing.)

Steps to access Pixel 4 Motion Gestures

Now you can watch the video to learn to operate both of the features.

Controlling Music:

1. Users can easily control the music from Google Play Music, Spotify, and Pocket Cast app.
2. Open any of these apps and hold your hand against the front sensors to pause music, wave from the right or left to play the next or previous song.

Send WhatsApp Message:

1. Open WhatsApp and head over to the chat screen.
2. Now, perform a swipe to initiate a voice chat popup and then automatically send the message.

It is quite an amazing feature to try on Android devices. It can make your device look superficial with the Tasker app. The process is a bit complicated, but we hope our guide would have helped you to enable the Motion Gestures on Android smartphones.

Related: How to enable hidden dark mode on WhatsApp Web?

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Google’s parent firm Alphabet Inc. held its 2019 Q4 meetings on Feb, 3. Shortly after, reports containing details of Q4 earnings started emerging. Although no figures were officially divulged, it offered an insight into how much money YouTube made in the last quarter. Alphabet also sheds some light on declining revenue from hardware sales.

Without mentioning the exact figures, executives noted a continuous decline in hardware sales. However, revenue was up by 10% YoY thanks to earnings from YouTube and PlayStore. The company, however, noted that the Google Nest Mini and the Nest Hub Max fared quite well over the Holiday Season, while the Pixel 3a sold well through 2019. As for Google Pixel 4, it struggles to make a mark.

During a telephonic conversation between Android Authority and the Alphabet CEO, Sundar Pichai said, “We continue to develop our capabilities with the Pixel 4, by building better user experience, and expanding distribution network”. Pichai kept his focus on the product and did not mention sales.

This could only mean that the Pixel 4 may have failed to live up to Google’s initial sales expectations. This hardly comes as a surprise since the Pixel 4 is plagued by disappointing battery life, a faulty face-unlock software, and insufficient internal storage without the option of external expansion. The negative impact was so high that even a 90Hz refresh rate on the display, stock Android experience, and excellent image quality could not save it from poor sales. What makes it worse is the device is sold in emerging markets like India with an uncertified Soli radar chip for gesture controls.

Editor’s Pick: Google Search brings prepaid mobile recharge feature in India

Google Pixel 4 Specifications and Features

The Google Pixel 4 flaunts a 5.7-inch full HD+ OLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate, an aspect ratio of 19:9, HDR, ambient display, and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 certification. The smartphone draws power from a Snapdragon 855 SoC with 6 GB of RAM with 64 GB and 128 GB of native storage.

In terms of optics, the Pixel 4 features a 12.2-megapixel primary camera with a 16-megapixel telephoto lens. At the front, the handset features an 8-megapixel lens. The device draws power from a 2,800 mAh battery that supports 18W fast charge and runs on Android 10 out of the box. The handset supports wireless charging and USB 2.0.

UP NEXT: Google’s new Tangi app set to rival YouTube as the hub for tutorial videos

(source)

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DxOMark has been testing smartphone cameras for a while, putting them through their comprehensive camera tests and scoring them as they go. Now however they’ve begun testing for audio quality, and the latest device to go through their audio test is the mixed bag that is the Google Pixel 4.

The Pixel 4 manages to score a decent 68 rating, placing it in fifth on their audio quality leaderboard. This is puts it behind the Huawei Mate 20X, iPhone XS Max, iPhone 11 Pro Max and Asus ROG Phone II. It is however ahead of the Galaxy S10, Note 10 and OnePlus 7 Pro. It’s also worth taking these results with a pinch of salt, as DxOMark has only reviewed 10 phones in this category so far.

EDITOR’S PICK: OnePlus teases mysterious special event for their first CES next year

DxOMark concludes that “While there’s still some room for improvement, the Google Pixel 4 delivers a decent performance in our DXOMARK Audio tests, earning itself a place among the three best Android devices and outperforming such heavyweight competitors as the current Samsung flagships and the OnePlus 7 Pro. For music lovers and avid videographers of family and friends, the Pixel 4 should deliver more than satisfying results.”

It’s a surprisingly good score for the device, which makes its battery situation all the worse. We’re hoping more devices get added to the leaderboards soon, especially devices from companies that put an emphasis on audio performance like LG and Meizu. Perhaps we’ll even see some legacy devices like the HTC One M7 or Nexus 6P.

UP NEXT: EXCLUSIVE: realme Buds Air full Specs & Price Leaked before launch!

(Score)

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Google is finally rolling out the November security patch to enhance the overall security of the smartphone. It is a significant upgrade as it fixes 38 security vulnerabilities making Android much safer and secure. The new security patch is gradually rolling out to all the compatible Pixel devices like Pixel 2 series, Pixel 3 series and the recently launched Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. Surprisingly, the November Security patch is not rolling for the first Pixel series, which was launched in 2016.

Must See: Samsung is already rolling out the November 2019 security patch to the Galaxy S10 series

The November security patch has resolved 6 high-severity bugs in the main framework that could enable a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code under the privileged process. Similarly, several high-severity bugs in media framework and system are fixed in the November security patch.

Apart from the usual Security patch, the Pixel 4 series also received new camera enhancements which will improve the overall picture quality. Google has not highlighted any specific feature that has been upgraded in the Pixel 4 series camera but will enhance the picture quality. The update also added, “Smooth Display improvements” to fix the refresh rate adjustment issue, which was reported by several users and even got an eye of prominent media houses.

Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL series also received some improvements and new features. A notable Xbox Bluetooth controller mapping feature support has arrived for almost every Pixel device excluding the first generation Pixel. There were several improvements related to Google Assistant hotword, fix for devices getting stuck in bootloop, and a lot more changes are part of the latest update.

The new update will get on to each supported Pixel device by the end of this week. You can manually check for the update by heading to the settings panel. Moreover, if you want to flash the OTA or factory image, then head over to the source below.

(source, via)

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

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It’s less than two weeks until the Aliexpress 11.11 Global Shopping Festival kicks off and as usual, UMIDIGI will be there to offer some great discounts on their popular devices. The 11.11 (a.k.a. Double 11) festival is huge and could be compared to Black Friday that takes place in the US. This year, the Chinese manufacturer will participate with 4 of its best-selling devices, so let’s take a look.

UMIDIGI Power 3: Quad-camera with 6150mAh battery

1 of 3

Power 3 is the company’s biggest battery phone to date carrying a 6150mAh battery with 18W fast charge under the hood. In addition, it features 10W reverse fast charging acting as a power bank for other devices. What’s more, it’s one of the most affordable quad-camera phones with 48MP main sensor, ultra-wide lens, and macro lens. It will kick off its first sale at only $149.99 on 11th November. You can add it to your cart now and take advantage of the deal when the time comes.

• 6150mAh, Fast 18W Charge & 10W Reverse Charge
• 48MP Ultra Wide Macro Quad Camera
• 6.53” FHD+ FullView Display
• Helio P60, LPDDR4X RAM
• Stock Android 10, NFC
• $149.99 (Promotion Price)

UMIDIGI F2: Among the best Budget Flagship of 2019

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UMIDIGI F2 is the current flagship for the company and has all the specs you want, for a sub-$200 price. With 6GB of LPDDR4X RAM, 128GB of UFS 2.1 flash storage, as well as Helio P70 SoC, the F2’s performance is top-notch in this price range. There is also a quad-camera setup (48MP main, 13MP ultra-wide, 5MP macro, and 5MP depth-sensing lens) as well as a 32MP front AI shooter. The F2 will be available for just $177.49 during the sale.

• 32MP AI Selfie Camera
• 48MP Ultra Wide Macro Quad Camera
• 6.53” FHD+ FullView Display
• 5150mAh, 18W Fast Charge & NFC
• 6GB+128GB, LPDDR4X, UFS 2.1, Helio P70
• Stock Android 10
• $177.49 (Promotion Price)

UMIDIGI X: In-screen Fingerprint and AMOLED for everyone

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If you always wanted to experience the flagship-level in-screen fingerprint unlock and vivid AMOLED display but devices with these specs were too expensive then UMIDIGI X is what you’ve been looking for. It is the most affordable phone with the latest generation in-screen fingerprint sensor and a 6.35″ AMOLED display. Also, it comes with a triple rear camera with a 48MP sensor as well as an ultra-wide lens while at the same time featuring a large 128GB internal storage and LPDDR4X RAM. It will cost just $169.99 during the sale.

• Latest In-screen Fingerprint Sensor
• 48MP Ultra Wide AI Triple Camera
• 6.35″ AMOLED Full Screen
• 4150mAh, 18W Fast Charge & NFC
• 128GB ROM & LPDDR4X RAM
• $169.99 (Promotion Price)

UMIDIGI A5 Pro: Most affordable phone with Ultra-Wide Triple-Camera

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Lastly, UMIDIGI A5 Pro will also be present at the festival, being the most affordable phone with a triple camera setup with ultra-wide lens and high build-quality. Furthermore, it comes with a 6.3″ FHD+ waterdrop display and Helio P23 SoC that results in an excellent Value for Money rate. You can make it yours for just $89.22 during the event.

• Sony Ultra Wide Triple Camera
• 6.3” FHD+ Waterdrop Display
• Helio P23 & 4GB RAM
• 2+1 Card Slots
• 4150mAh Battery
• $89.22 (Promotion Price)

You can head over to UMIDIGI Official Store on Aliexpress to learn more about the sales. And don’t forget to add the phone you’re interested to cart in case you miss the sales. Lastly, if you’re seeking a chance to win a free phone, UMIDIGI is running a big giveaway to recruit 10 trial users for UMIDIGI Power 3.

The post Four Top UMIDIGI Deals you should grab during the Aliexpress 11.11 Global Shopping Festival appeared first on Gizmochina.

We already know that the next model from UMIDIGI will be Power 3 featuring a big battery and a quad-camera setup, and today the company revealed the price and the global sale start date. So, Power 3 will go on global sale on November 11th and its promotional price will be only $149.99 for just 1 day, until November 12th! The Power 3 is a big upgrade to its predecessor and the debut during the Aliexpress 11.11 Global Shopping Festival is a buyer’s delight.

Besides the big battery, the key feature of the device is the multi-function quad camera. The recently launched Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 also sports a similar camera setup but which is better overall? Let’s check out the specs and price comparison.

Display

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Doing away with the notch is the challenge for most smartphone manufacturers and rumors say that next year’s flagships Redmi K30 and OnePlus 8 would feature the hole-punch display. UMIDIGI Power 3 has that already placed on the top-left of the 6.53″ FHD+ display, while the Redmi Note 8 comes with a 6.3″ panel with a waterdrop notch.

Camera

The main camera is the sector where there are not that many differences. The Power 3 has a better 13MP ultra-wide camera while the Redmi Note 8’s one is 8MP. As for the front camera, the Power 3 boasts a 16MP sensor while the Note 8 has a 13MP one.

Battery and Charging

Here’s where the Power 3 really stands out as it hosts a big, 6150mAh battery with 18W fast charging support while the Note 8 comes with a smaller, 4000mAh battery and just 10W fast charging. What’s more, the new UMIDIGI phone supports 10W fast OTG reverse charging while its opponent supports just 2.5W OTG reverse charging.

Performance

The two companies use different SoC providers but their performance is similar. Power 3 is powered by MediaTek’s Helio P60 and the Redmi Note 8 comes with Snapdragon 665. Both score about 140k in Antutu v7. Also, the Power 3 features NFC with Google Pay and Note 8 doesn’t.

Operating System

Until now, there are only a few devices that come with or have been upgraded to Android 10, the latest version of Google’s OS. Power 3 is one of them as it comes with Android 10 out-of-the-box. It comes with the stock version of Android while the Redmi Note 8 features MIUI 10 based on Android 9.0.

Price

As said before, the UMIDIGI Power 3 will hit the market at just $149.99 and the price will go up to $169.99. Still, that’s almost $20 less than the Note 8 that costs about $190 for the same 4GB/64GB memory configuration. It’s easy to say that the Power 3 is a better VFM that its competitor. You can add it to your cart now so that you don’t miss the deal when it hits the market. Also, you can participate in the Giveaway activity to win one for free.

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Pixel 4 series’ 90Hz screen was supposed to be one of its stand out features. But over the past one week, the phone’s screen has been standing out for all the wrong reasons. After it was recently discovered that Pixel 4 and 4 XL’s screen refresh rate changed according to screen brightness, 9to5Google has just found out that Google has blacklisted one of its own apps from running at 90Hz refresh rate.

According to a review of the Pixel 4 and 4 XL’s source code, it was discovered that both these models set the refresh rate to the default 60Hz when running apps like Google Maps. Three other apps, namely, Pokémon Go, Waze, and WeChat have also been blacklisted by the company from running at 90Hz. While it makes sense to limit Pokémon Go (Niantic capped the app’s refresh rate to 30 fps earlier this year due to its gameplay design) and even Waze and Maps’ refresh rate (these two maps applications were already said to lock in refresh rate at 60Hz ), WeChat has been blacklisted simply because of “poor performance”.

WeChat is a very powerful app with a lot of features and some of them might not be working well under 90Hz refresh rate. However, we haven’t heard of similar issues on OnePlus 7 Pro or 7T, both of which have 90Hz displays.

Fortunately, this is not something an update can’t solve. Once WeChat fixes the performance issue under 90Hz refresh rate, Google can send out an update to remove it from its blacklist.

Anyway WeChat users on OnePlus 7 Pro or 7T/Pro? Let us know if you guys are facing any issues at 90Hz.

UP NEXT: Oneplus 7T Review: 90Hz and an ultrawide cam equals Bliss!

(Source)

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Google recently launched its flagship smartphones in the Pixel 4 series which offers 90Hz refresh rate for the display. However, an issue has been detected with that feature and its competitor OnePlus decided to troll the company for that.

OnePlus UK posted a tweet shown below which is mocking the company related to the issue with the 90Hz refresh rate. In the newly launched Pixel 4 series, the 90Hz refresh rate works only if the phone’s brightness is 75 percent or more. If the brightness drops below that, the refresh rate also drops to 60Hz.

The company further added that its 90Hz display phones are “fast and smooth anytime, anywhere.” The tweet shows that even at various brightness levels, OnePlus phone maintain a consistent 90Hz refresh rate.

However, the company deleted the tweet soon after posting it but many have grabbed a screenshot of the same. While its not known why OnePlus UK deleted the tweet, there are some theories.

EDITOR’S PICK: Huawei ships 200 million smartphones two months earlier than in 2018

Yes, it’s true that the refresh rate on the OnePlus smartphones doesn’t drop based on the screen brightness level. But not all apps support 90Hz refresh rates and hence there are things the user may be seeing in 60Hz on the OnePlus 7 Pro, 7T, or 7T Pro.

Also, the smartphone doesn’t technically run at 90Hz “anytime, anywhere”, as claimed. The company had earlier suggested that it doesn’t recommend forcing 90Hz refresh rate given that it could drain the battery faster.

So, the tweet could have been taken down to keep itself away from the controversies with the 90Hz refresh rate or there’s also a possibility that the company realised that it’s not cool to throw shade at another company.

UP NEXT: Moto G8 Plus and Moto G8 Play announced in Brazil but not the Moto G8

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On Monday, we talked about the UMIDIGI Power 3 that would be launching soon and today, the company announced the global launch of the new Power Series member. With the Power 3, UMIDIGI is offering a 6,150mAh battery, which is the biggest yet for the company. In addition, the Power 3 also features a quad-camera setup with a 48MP main sensor, a hole-punch display on the front, and Helio P60 SoC. The phone will start global sale on November 11th on Aliexpress.

Biggest Battery Yet

The Power Series is known for the big battery found inside the phones and Power 3 is no different. It packs the biggest battery to date with a 6150mAh battery and USB Type-C 18W fast charger.

What’s more, it features 10W fast OTG reverse charging that can charge other devices while other phones only support about 2.5W OTG reverse charging. You don’t even have to buy an OTG cable as is comes as a gift.

Multi-function Quad Cameras

Another new feature in Power 3 is the quad rear camera setup that consists of a 48MP main camera, a 13MP ultra-wide-angle camera, a 5MP macro camera, and a 5MP depth-sensing camera. In addition, there is a new Night Mode to help you capture better photos in low light conditions while the ultra-wide mode snaps more in a single shot and the macro mode captures close-ups.

Bigger Notchless Display

Since the notch is starting to become outdated, the Chinese manufacturer adopts a 6.53″ FHD+ display with a hole-punch that hosts the front 16MP camera. The hole is just 4.5mm wide in order not to distract the user while using the phone. The result is an immersive viewing experience when combined with the thin bezels.

Powerful Performance

To power the Power 3, UMIDIGI chose to go with the MediaTek Helio P60 SoC backed by 4GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 64GB of internal storage. The LPDDR4X dual-channel memory has 50% higher efficiency and 100% improved peak performance compared with the older LPDDR3. Also, thanks to the triple card slots design, the phone has a dedicated microSD card slot to store up to 256GB more.

Stock Android 10 and Other Features

Coming with Android 10, UMIDIGI Power 3 is one of the first smartphones that feature Google’s latest OS. The phone comes in three trendy colors for you to choose: Space Grey, Midnight Green, and Red. Additionally, Power 3 supports “OK Google” on lock screen so that you can activate the Google Assistant without even touching your phone. Lastly, it supports multi-function NFC and global network bands as well as dual-4G/LTE.

Price, Global Sale Date, and Giveaway

The global sale will start at 00:00 PST on November 11th over at Aliexpress. The price is yet to be known but the price tag is expected to be under $200 since the previous version’s cost was around $150. You can add the Power 3 to your cart now in case you miss the discounted open sale price when it becomes available in 2 weeks.

Lastly, in order to improve the user experience, UMIDIGI is running a Giveaway to recruit 10 trial users for the device. Check out all the details about the Power 3 and join the giveaway on their official website.

The post UMIDIGI Power 3 launched with biggest battery to date and 48MP quad camera (video) appeared first on Gizmochina.

When the Pixel 4 launched last week, reviewers who got the phone shared photos of their review units online. Apparently, Google handed them a customized pizza box with a space for the Pixel 4 and of course real pizza. See Tech YouTuber SuperSaf’s unit below.

Google Pixel 4 “Unboxing” #madebygoogle pic.twitter.com/BqOyocO6O0

— Safwan AhmedMia (@SuperSaf) October 15, 2019

Google has begun shipping orders this week and those who have received their unit also got a surprise though not as exciting as getting free pizza along with your phone. Instead, Google is shipping the phone in a custom box of cereal. Yes, you read that right.

The Pixel 4 phones are arriving in a colorful cereal box branded Google Pixel 4. The package also mentions some of the phone’s features such as the camera (astrophotography), quick gestures, and the new Google Assistant. It also mentions the RAM which is 6GB and also states that there is unlimited online storage with Google Photos.

[envira-gallery id=”284687″]

Inside the cereal box is the Pixel 4 or Pixel 4XL as well as a pack of cereal. A message inside the box reveals the special package is for those who pre-ordered the Pixel 4 from Google Store UK. It also states that those who purchase the Pixel 4 are eligible for a free HP Chromebook 14 which they have to claim between 14 to 45 days from the date of purchase.

The Pixel 4 has a 5.7-inch FHD+ OLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate while the Pixel 4XL has a 6.3-inch QHD+ 90Hz OLED display. Both phones are powered by the Snapdragon 855 paired with 6Gb of RAM and 64GB/128GB of storage.

There is a 12MP primary rear camera along with a 16MP telephoto camera on the back of the device. The selfie camera is an 8MP sensor and you also get Face Unlock and hands-free gesture control thanks to the Soli radar in the device. The smaller Pixel has a 2800mAh battery while the XL has a 3700mAh battery. Both phones run Android 10 out of the box.

UP NEXT: Google Nest Mini launches: same look but louder and wall-mountable

(Source, Via)

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The Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are already shipping to owners and more details are surfacing about the device. Some of these details are interesting while others may be considered as not so important to the average consumer.

Of those important to the average consumer is charging, and according to new info, the new Pixel phones support more than 10W wireless charging. Actually, they support up to 15W wireless charging according to one of the tweets below.

According to the Wireless Power Consortium, the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL have a maximum received power of 11W. The info was shared on Twitter by Mishaal Rahman. However, one of the comments under the tweet by @Coloradowise said Google Support confirmed to him that the device supports up to 15W wirelessly.

Google support confirmed to me last night that it would support up to 15w wirelessly. Is this 11w limit from the handset or the charger?

— Christopher Wise (@Coloradowise) October 22, 2019

It turns out that the Maximum Received Power stated by the Wireless Power Consortium can be higher. Take for example the Maximum Received Power of the Huawei Mate 30 Pro 5G which is stated as 5W but we know the device actually supports 27W wireless fast charging.

It is surprising why Google omitted this very important info at the launch event. They also didn’t announce a new Pixel Stand, and the current one supports only 10W. So if you have a wireless charger that supports 15W or higher, you may want to give it a try.

With wireless charging out of the way, let’s return to wired charging which most people use.

The Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL ship with an 18W charger but it actually supports 20W wired charging too. Oh! This applies to the Pixel 3 too. All you have to do is get a USB Power Delivery charger that supports 20W or more. The Pixel 3 supporting 20W wired charging was reported as far back as February but a lot of folks may not be aware.

UP NEXT: Here’s why Google Pixel 4 series isn’t launching in India

(Sources: 1, 2, 3, 3)

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UMIDIGI just recently released its new budget flagship UMIDIGI F2 and now they are gearing up to launch another Power-Series affordable device with a bigger than even battery. We’re talking about the UMIDIGI Power 3 that is the successor of the Power. It will launch on October 23rd featuring a quad rear camera and a new green color option that have now been revealed through some new renders.

The company already unveiled some key features on its website so we can see that it will sport an iPhone-like square quad-camera setup with a 48MP main sensor, an ultra-wide-angle lens camera, and a macro lens camera. The phone hosts a 6.53’’ notchless hole-punch FHD+ display like UMIDIGI F2 and also runs on Android 10.

As a member of the Power Series, it packs a 6150mAh battery that is expected to give several days of use on a single charge. The design is soft and the rear panel features curved edges which can make the phone fit comfortably in your hand. According to information, the phone will feature fast reverse charging that can help you charge other devices.

The new device will launch on October 23rd and we’ll an eye out for more specs on it. As with previous new devices, UMIDIGI is running a big giveaway to recruit 10 trial users for UMIDIGI Power 3. You can learn more about the device and join the giveaway on their official website.

The post UMIDIGI Power 3 with iPhone-like camera camera setup launching soon (video) appeared first on Gizmochina.

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.

Editor’s Pick: Here’s why Google Pixel 4 series isn’t launching in India

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.

UP NEXT: Tech Throwback Thursday: How Google’s Modular Smartphone Dream Was Killed

(Source)

The post Google Pixel 4’s Face Unlock is Super Quick but has one Major Flaw appeared first on Gizmochina.

Google always stuns its fans and users by introducing compelling features in the Google Camera App of Pixel devices. They always make a mark by introducing features carved out of AI-based innovative technologies. After introducing Night Mode last year, the search giant introduced Astrophotography Mode this year on Pixel devices. It allows users to take DSLR like photos of stars and other astronomical objects in the sky.

The new Pixel 4 series is incorporated with the new astronomical feature via Google Camera 7.0 app. The feature is officially limited to Pixel devices but some third-party developers have ported Google Camera 7.0 for other devices with working Astrophotography mode. The new feature is currently working on Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset devices. It is boon for the users who don’t own Pixel 4 device but still want to enjoy the Astrophotography mode.

Must Read: Here’s why Google Pixel 4 series isn’t launching in India

Along with the new Astronomical mode, the new Google Camera 7.0 carries various other advancements such as transparent UI, enhanced Night Sight, Motion Blur, AR Photobooth, Audio Zoom, and a few other features.  We expect the new Astro Mode to work on few devices as of now but we expect wider support in the future.

We have listed below the links to the respective Gcam mods for Astronomical features. You can follow the steps below to enable Google Camera Astronomical mode features easily.

Download Gcam Mod for your device

• Poco F1 (Download san1ty mod)
• Redmi K20 / K20 Pro, OnePlus Devices (Download, by Parrot043)
• Redmi Note 5 Pro / 6 Pro / 7 / 7S / 7 Pro, Mi A3 / A2, Zenfone Max Pro M1 / M2 (Download, by Parrot043)
• Realme Devices (Download, by BSG)

Note: It is always recommended to use the original Gcam app for Pixel devices. Gcam version 7.9 is available for all Pixel devices including Pixel 3, 3 XL, 2, 2XL, 1, 1 XL, and 3a (XL).

Make Sure: To make it work flawlessly, your smartphone must support Cmaera2API. Also, Android 9.0 Pie is a must for Gcam 7.0 to work without any issue. 

Steps to Enable Astrophotography Mode on Gcam 7.0

1. Download and Install the respective Gcam 7.0 Mod on your smartphone from the links above.
2. Allow the installation of APK from third-party sources by allowing the prompt if it appears.
3. Open Google Camera App and swipe down to get the settings menu.
4. Now tap the settings icon and scroll down to the developer settings.
5. In the developer menu, enable these three options to enable the Astronomical Mode:

   camera.cuttle.darken
   camera.cuttle.extended
   camera.cuttle.extended_iterable_burst

6. Head back to the main UI of the Gcam app and select Night Sight Mode.
7. Now, swipe down for settings and set Focus to Infinity and timer to 3 seconds for Astronomical feature.
8. We recommend you to use a tripod stand to make Astronomical feature work without any issue. Otherwise, the phone will take a photo in normal Night Sight Mode.
9. Once Astronomical Mode is active, it may take more than a minute to capture the farther objects clearly.
10. It’s done, enjoy!

The astronomical feature automatically gets triggered once you steadily hold the phone. It is always recommended to use a tripod for perfect shots.

That’s it for today and if you have any questions and issues do let us know via the comments below.

Related: Best third-party Night Mode camera Apps for Android

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The Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL finally launched today, and to be honest, there isn’t much we didn’t already know about the phones.

The Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL come with new features not present in any of their predecessors but also keep some of the old features. To start with, both phones feature OLED screens with a 90Hz refresh rate that Google has termed Smooth Display. There are no notches but their foreheads stick out thanks to the sensors packed underneath.

The new Pixel 4 phones also come with an extra camera on the back – a telephoto lens which means portrait mode gets even better on the Pixel phones. There is also a new way to unlock your device and make payments – Face Unlock (RIP fingerprint scanner), and a new way to control your device without touching it thanks to Motion Sense which is powered by the Soli Radar chip.

Active Edge is still present, so you can squeeze and activate the all-new Google Assistant. The Titan M Security Module is also back again to keep you protected. There are stereo speakers but no audio jack and you also get an eSIM along with a nano-SIM slot. You also get at least 3 years of security and OS updates.

Pixel 4 Specs

• 5.7-inch FHD+ flexible OLED Display, Smooth Display (90Hz), Gorilla Glass 5, and 19:9 aspect ratio, Always-on Display, HDR, Ambient EQ.
• Snapdragon 855 processor + 6GB RAM + 64GB/128GB of storage
• 12.2MP f/1.7 1.4 μm primary camera with OIS + EIS
  16MP f/2.4 1.0 μm telephoto camera with OIS + EIS
  Spectral + Flicker Sensor
• 8MP f/2.0 1.22 μm front-facing camera
  NIR flood emitter
  NIR dot projector
  2NIR cameras
• 2800mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging, USB-PD 2.0, and wireless charging

Pixel 4 XL Specs

• 6.3-inch QHD+ flexible OLED Display, Smooth Display (90Hz), Gorilla Glass 5, and 19:9 aspect ratio, Always-on Display, HDR, Ambient EQ.
• Snapdragon 855 processor + 6GB RAM + 64GB/128GB of storage
• 12.2MP f/1.7 1.4 μm primary camera with OIS + EIS
  16MP f/2.4 1.0 μm telephoto camera with OIS + EIS
  Spectral + Flicker Sensor
• 8MP f/2.0 1.22 μm front-facing camera
  NIR flood emitter
  NIR dot projector
  2NIR cameras
• 3700mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging, USB-PD 2.0, and wireless charging

Price and Availability

The Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are available in Just Black, Clearly White, and Oh So Orange (limited edition). The Pixel 4 is priced at $799/€749/£669 for the 64GB version and $899/€849/£769 for the 128GB version while the Pixel 4 XL is priced at $899/€899/£829 for the 64GB version and $999/€999/£929 for the 128GB version.

Both phones will be available unlocked, via Verizon or on Google Fi and will begin shipping October 21.

UP NEXT: Tech Throwback Thursday: How Google’s Modular Smartphone Dream Was Killed

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Today is October 14th and it’s time for UMIDIGI’s latest budget flagship, UMIDIGI F2, to start its global sale journey at the discounted price of $179.99. The company has teamed up with AliExpress to launch the UMIDIGI 8 Years Sale until October 16th and the promo price will be available until then. In the meantime, the company released an unboxing video of the phone.

But that’s not the only offer. The first 1000 units of UMIDIGI F2 will also come with a free truly wireless earbuds Upods as a gift. In addition, more models are on offer during the event. There is a “Flip ‘n’ Win” game ongoing where you can participate to win store coupons and you can play twice per day.

Also, store coupons will be available under the UMIDIGI 8 Years promotion during the activity period. If you win a special coupon while playing “Flip ‘n’ Win”, you can use it to get a free UMIDIGI phone (prizes include the new UMIDIGI F2 and UMIDIGI A5 Pro) or commemorative USB Flash Drive for the company’s anniversary.

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The killer feature of UMIDIGI F2 is the quad-camera setup that consists of a 48MP main sensor, a 13MP wide-angle sensor, a 5mp mono lens, and a 5MP portrait lens. At the front, the smartphone comes with a 32MP selfie camera.

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The device sports a 6.53″ FullView display with FHD+ resolution and is powered by MediaTek’s Helio P70 SoC coupled with 6GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 128GB of UFS 2.1 internal storage. The phone is packed with a 5150mAh battery with 18W fast charging as well as NFC support. Oh, it runs the latest stock Android 10 and comes with triple card slot, side-mounted fingerprint scanner and global bands support, too.

Other noteworthy discounts for some of their hot-selling phones like the recently announced UMIDIGI X and UMIDIGI A5 Pro are also available. UMIDIGI X is the most affordable phone with an in-screen fingerprint sensor while the A5 Pro is the cheapest phone with an ultra-wide triple camera and now costs just $90. To see all the deals just visit the promotion page or use the direct links below if you already know what you want.

• UMIDIGI F2
• UMIDIGI X
• UMIDIGI A5 Pro

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Today, UMIDIGI officially announced the price of its latest budget flagship smartphone the UMIDIGI F2 and it is a truly unbelievable price: just $179.99 on a limited deal from October 14th to October 16th! The device is the successor to the successful UMIDIGI F1 and it will hit the market on October 14th, 7 AM GMT on Aliexpress. The company also released a first look video of the device.

The killer feature is the quad-camera setup of course. Since the Xiaomi’s sub-brand, Redmi, released the Note 8 Pro recently, it’s easy to tell that the F2 is the perfect competitor. Considering the overall quality and performance, which one has a higher value for money?

Display

Design is subjective and since both come with a 6.53″ FHD+ IPS panel, the F2 has an advantage since it drops the annoying notch and adopts a hole-punch front camera.

Camera

Until we see real-life reviews of the camera we can’t be totally sure about which is better. On paper, the UMIDIGI F2 is better since it comes with a 32MP flagship-category selfie shooter while the Note 8 Pro hosts a 20MP sensor. One the back, both have a multi-function quad camera setup. The Note 8 Pro sports a higher resolution main camera but the F2 has a better ultra-wide camera.

Performance & Battery

The Note 8 Pro comes with the more powerful Helio G90T SoC but the Helio P70 on the F2 is no slouch either. Also, both come with the same 6GB/128GB memory configuration but the F2 costs more than $100 less than its rival. Definitely, the CPU power difference doesn’t justify the huge price difference.

In terms of battery, the UMIDIGI F2 has a bigger battery (5150mAh) than Redmi Note 8 Pro (4500mAh) while both support 18W fast charging as well as NFC with Google Pay.

Design

Both phones come with a beautiful glass back cover but the F2 has a cleaner and more consistent design thanks to the side-mounted fingerprint sensor. The Note 8 Pro still comes with the old-fashioned back-placed fingerprint sensor.

Operating System

Only a handful of devices have adopted Android 10 which is Google’s latest OS. UMIDIGI F2 is one of them and comes with stock Android 10 while the Redmi Note 8 Pro features MIUI 10 based on Android 9.0.

Price

The promotional price of the UMIDIGI F2 at $179.99 is amazing during the global sale that starts on Monday. After the promotion, it will go up to its original price of just $199.99. On the other hand, the Note 8 Pro 6GB/128GB version costs $299.99, making the UMIDIGI F2 a better VFM device. UMIDIGI is also running a 10-unit giveaway which you can join here. Also, don’t forget to add the F2 to your cart so that you won’t miss the offer and you will receive a free pair of UPods as well.

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Besides the flagship devices of the company that recently gained another member -UMIDIGI F2- with excellent specs and price tag, the Chinese manufacturer is also very famous about its entry-level Power series that comes with a massive battery and pretty affordable price. Currently, there is only one member in the Series but according to leaked information, the company is getting ready to add another.

Strangely, the new model isn’t going to be named Power 2 but they will skip a number going straight to UMIDIGI Power 3. As you can see in the photo, the 6000 mentioned should be the capacity of the battery and it’s going to sport a quad-camera setup on the back. The rest of the specs are still undisclosed so we’ll have to wait until UMIDIGI officially announces the device or another leak surfaces. Until that happens, you can visit their official website to check out their latest flagship UMIDIGI F2 and their new smartwatch and wireless headset.

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It took a lot of time for smartphone manufacturers to realize that colorful devices appeal to consumers. Even Apple that is considered to be the most design-driven company out there, insisted on Black and Silver colors for a long time until this year that a wide color palette was added to iPhones. But even now, monochromatic pastel colors are used in most cases. The new UMIDIGI F2 thinks otherwise and features the company’s all-new “Holographic Design” which is industry-leading craftsmanship that is not easy to find in the budget segment.

The 3D shimmering effect is achieved by using a depth layer containing millions of shimmering, microscopic prisms with curved textures, and on top of that, a 2.5D curved glass layer. Combined together, make the light virtually dance across the back of the phone as you move it around. Two colors are chosen: Phantom Blue and Midnight Black. The adjectives “Phantom” and “Midnight” are ideal to describe the gradient effect that evokes the appearance of a dynamic pattern or a twinkling night sky.

The clever design isn’t just restricted to color. UMIDIGI’s design innovations are hardly restricted to color. As you can see in the photo above, instead of using a notch or a pop-up camera the company went with the third solution by cutting a 4.5mm punch-hole into the top-left of the display to house the 32MP selfie camera. That, along with the side-placed fingerprint sensor results in a comfortable skinny phone with a nearly bezeless 6.53’” FHD+ display.

One the back, the quad-camera that hosts the 48MP main sensor along with the ultra-wide and macro cameras is laid out in an L-shape instead of the traditional I-shape—leaving more room inside for a 5150mAh big battery with NFC. What’s more, the phone comes with high-end specs like the Helio P70 SoC backed by 6GB of RAM and 128GB of UFS 2.1 fast storage as well as Android 10.

The phone will go on global sale next Monday on Aliexpress with its price being undisclosed for now. We expect it to be below $250, though. Also, judging from the fact that the Chinese manufacturer is celebrating its 8th Annual Sale, the promotional price should be a surprise. So you’d better add the F2 to your cart now at the UMIDIGI Official Store on Aliexpress in case you miss the deal.

Lastly, as always, the company is running a big giveaway to recruit 10 trial users that will help improve the user experience. You can check out the full specs of F2 and join the giveaway on their official website.

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Google is just days away from unveiling its next-generation flagship smartphones — Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. The launch event is scheduled to take place on 15th October, where the company is also expected to launch a few other products.

Ahead of the phone’s launch, most of its specifications and features have already been leaked. Now, camera samples of the smartphone have also surfaced online, which are claimed to be the ones that Google will use to promote the upcoming devices.

The selfie shot taken from the phone’s front-facing camera seems to be the sample for portrait mode. While the images look impressive, the resolution of 4.5-megapixels which is significantly lower than the Pixel 3’s 8-megapixel snapper.

The portrait effect using the phone’s back camera is also very impressive and especially the edge detection seems to be working perfectly. The phone will come with an additional camera sensor on the back, and the samples show how it impacts the camera output.

Google’s Night Sight has been impressive since its inception and the camera sample of the same feature on Pixel 4 seems to be hinting towards continuing that legacy. The images taken using the Night Sight mode provides bold colors and much less noise and grains compared to the competition.

But the camera performance using the Night Sight doesn’t stop at the providing bold colors. The samples shared online reveals that the Google Pixel 4 series will also be capable of taking shots of the stars and Milky Way at night, which are very impressive.

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As for the specifications, the Pixel 4 will be arriving with a 5.7-inch OLED display with Full HD+ screen resolution while the Pixel 4 XL will be a larger device featuring 6.3-inch OLED display offering Quad HD+ screen resolution. Both phones will carry support for 90Hz refresh rate and Ambient EQ.

The smartphones will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 octa-core processor with 6GB of RAM. They will also come with a dedicated processor called Neural Core for handling AI and Machine Learning tasks.

The dual camera setup on both phones include a 12-megapixel Dual-Pixel primary lens and a 16-megapixel telephoto sensor. On the front side, the smartphones are expected to come with an 8-megapixel snapper.

The devices will come running the latest Android 10 operating system out-of-the-box. While the Pixel 4 will be powered by a 2,800mAh battery, the Pixel 4 XL will come packed with a 3,700mAh battery and both of them will have 18W USB-PD fast charging support. Details about the phone’s variants and pricing have also leaked online.

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(Source)

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Google is expected to announce the Pixel 4 series of smartphones through its unveil event at New York on Oct. 15. Recent reports have revealed the specifications of the upcoming Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL smartphones. A week ahead of its launch, reliable tipster Evan Blass has shared the Canadian pricing of the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL phones.

Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL Pricing (Rumored)

Blass has revealed that the 64 GB and 128 GB editions of the Pixel 4 will be respectively priced at CAD $1,049.95 (~$788) and CAD $1,199.95 (~$901). The Pixel 4 XL is also expected to release in 64 GB and 128 GB storage editions. They are likely to arrive with respective price tags of CAD $1,199.95 (~$901) and CAD $1359.95 (~$1,048).

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Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL Specifications (Rumored)

The Pixel 4 will be arriving with a 5.7-inch OLED display that will deliver full HD+ resolution. The Pixel 4 XL will be a larger device featuring 6.3-inch OLED display that produces quad HD+ resolution. Both phones will carry support for 90Hz refresh rate and Ambient EQ.

The Pixel 4 will be coming with a 2,800mAh battery whereas the Pixel 4 XL will be housing a 3,700mAh battery. Both devices will come equipped with 18W USB-PD fast charging through USB-C. The rest of the specs of both phones are identical.

The Snapdragon 855 mobile platform along with 6 GB of RAM will be powering the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL smartphones. There is a dedicated processor called Neural Core for handling AI and Machine Learning tasks. The dual camera setup on both phones will include a 12-megapixel Dual-Pixel primary lens and a 16-megapixel telephoto sensor. These phones will come preloaded with Android 10 OS.

The Pixel 4 duo will come with some other common features such as Face Unlock, Motion Sense, Titan M security chip and guaranteed security and OS updates for 3 years. Google will be also announcing the Pixel Buds 2 alongside the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL smartphones. Rumors have it that even though the Pixel 4 duo will be announced on Oct. 15, these phones won’t be available for purchase readily.

UP NEXT: New videos show capabilities of the new Google Assistant on Pixel 4

(source)

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The Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL will arrive in about two weeks, bringing new features such as multiple rear cameras, Face ID, and new software features. There are tons of leaks of both phones already but more are still pouring in. The latest is an official spec sheet of both phones.

The spec sheet was posted on the web by 9to5Google and it reveals details we already know as well as some new ones.

The Pixel 4 will have a 5.7-inch FHD+ “Smooth Display”. The spec sheet reveals it is an OLED panel with a refresh rate up to 90Hz and Ambient EQ. The larger Pixel 4 XL has a 6.3-inch Quad HD+ screen with the same features and refresh rate.

While the Pixel 4 packs a bigger screen than its predecessor, it comes with a smaller battery capacity. The spec sheet says it is a 2800mAh battery while its bigger sibling has a 3700mAh battery. Both phones will come with an 18W USB-C power adapter.

Powering both phones is a Snapdragon 855 processor and not the more powerful Snapdragon 855+. However, there is another processor inside called the Pixel Neural Core. More info about this processor will definitely surface later but from the name, we know it handles AI and Machine Learning tasks. We presume this replaces the Pixel Visual Core in the previous models.

[envira-gallery id=”280512″]

The Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL will both come in a single RAM variant which is 6GB and users will be able to choose between purchasing the 64GB or 128GB version.

The Pixel phones are known for their camera prowess and they take great pictures even though they have just one rear camera in a market where having multiple sensors is the rave. This year Google is adding an additional camera to the back of both phones. The spec sheet says the phones will have a 12MP Dual-Pixel main camera and a 16MP telephoto camera.

The Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL will also have stereo speakers, USB-C 3.0, Face Unlock, Motion Sense, Titan M Security Module, and 3 years of security and OS updates. Since both phones will launch with Android 10, expect Android 11, Android 12, and Android 13 updates.

The spec sheet also reveals what is inside the box of the new Pixel 4 phones. There is a 1m long USB-C to USB-C cable (USB 2.0) for charging and data transfer, there is an 18W power adapter, a quick switch adapter, a SIM tool, and a Quick Start Guide.

UP NEXT: Google launches #SwitchtoPixel campaign ahead of Pixel 4 series unveiling

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Google has scheduled a launch event on 15th October where the company is all set to launch the Pixel 4 series flagship smartphones, a couple of Nest devices as well as Pixel Buds 2 wireless earphones.

Ahead of the launch of the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, most of their specifications and features have already leaked online. Now, a new video has surfaced online which showcases the power of the new Google Assistant present on the Pixel 4 smartphone.

If the reports are to be believed, then the Pixel 4 series will come with a new Google Assistant which will have all the features of the “old” Google Assistant as well as some new additions. A promo video of the same has now leaked online, giving us idea about how powerful the updated Assistant will be.

The video shows people using voice commands to control aspects of their phones. In one video, the user is asking Assistant about the nearest metro station once the directions are provided by the app, the user then asks Google to send a text to their friend to let them know they are on the way.

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In another example, it is shown that a person arrives at a secluded area on a lake and asks Google Assistant to turn on Do Not Disturb mode, which it does. Do note that the current version of Assistant can also do these tasks.

However, in the video, we can see that the user interface of the so-called new Google Assistant has been updated. It now looks much simpler and has a colorful bar at the bottom that moves along with different functions.

There’s another example which showcases the new Assistant’s capabilities. In the video, the user gets a text from a friend asking when their flight lands. The user then asks Assistant “What time is my flight?” and it pulls up the information without even needing to switch apps.

Afterwards, the user says another command “Reply I get in at 5:45 PM”, without saying “OK Google” at the beginning. But since Assistant can understand the context of that query, it already knows what to do. Now, this is an advanced feature that’s currently not possible with Assistant which such efficiency.

There’s yet another video showcasing the feature where the user says “Show me my photos from last weekend.” Then, Google Assistant opens Google Photos and shows the user’s photos from the previous weekend. This is followed by the user saying “Show me the ones with a dog” and it only shows photos that feature a dog from that past weekend.

It remains to be seen if the new Google Assistant will be limited to the new Pixel 4 series flagship smartphones or the company rolls out the feature for other devices as well.

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(Source)

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Google is bracing for the launch of its latest flagship smartphones which will be unveiled on the 15th of October. The upcoming devices will be called the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL and they will succeed the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL from the year 2018.

As observed with several other handsets, renders of both the upcoming Pixel handsets have been leaked ahead of their official launch. While this is not the first time their design details have been leaked, as real-life images of the alleged Pixel 4 XL already made rounds on the internet last week.

With that being said, the latest render set is shared by a known tipster who goes by the username ‘EvLeaks’ on Twitter. Therefore, it is highly likely that this is, in fact, the finalised design for the upcoming Pixel 4 duo.

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In comparison to their predecessors, the design of both the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL is significantly different. The front of the two smartphones have a high screen-to-body ratio display with a considerable forehead. Based upon prior reports the forehead accommodates an array of vital components like IR (infrared) flood illuminator, couple of Face unlock IR cameras and a Soli Radar Chip which is one of the highlighting features of these smartphones.

The rear panel of the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL is made out of glass and it houses a dual-camera setup which is placed in a square module that slightly protrudes from the surface. For the first time, Google has opted to equip its Pixel smartphones with more than one rear camera. Therefore, consumers are hyped about their photo and video capturing capabilities.

Although both the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL look identical, going by the name scheming, the XL variant will have a larger display and an overall larger form factor.

While the source has not revealed any features or specifications of the Pixel 4 duo, they can be obtained from prior leaks and are listed below.

Although the leaked specs and design of the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL seem legit, we will have to wait for the official announcement which is set for the 15th of October.

(source)

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Search engine giant Google is all set to launch its new Pixel 4 series smartphones and the company has already confirmed that the event will take place on 15th October. Now, anticipating the Pixel 4 series launch, Google has launched a new marketing campaign.

As a part of the new #SwitchtoPixel marketing campaign, the company has released four videos on the ‘Made by Google’ YouTube channel. Each video features customer testimonies of their experiences pertaining to select features of the Pixel series.

The company has highlighted four main features in the marketing campaign, which includes Unlimited Google Photos storage, camera experience, process of transferring data, and the battery life. Check out those videos below:

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Ahead of the launch, almost everything related to the Pixel 4 series smartphones have leaked online. The phones will have 90Hz AMOLED displays, 6GB of RAM and 128GB of UFS storage. The devices will be powered by the Snapdragon 855 chipset which will draw power from a 3,700mAh battery in the Pixel 4 XL and a 2,800mAh battery in the Pixel 4.

Both the smartphones will come with a dual-camera setup on the back, consisting of a 12.2-megapixel f/1.73 primary rear camera, coupled with a telephoto lens. The devices will have an advanced face unlock system similar to Apple’s Face ID, a Soli-radar chip for hands-free gesture control, and run Android 10 out of the box.

It has also been confirmed that the smartphones will come in three color options — Black, Clearly White, and a new Oh So Orange. We’ve also reported that while the phones will get unveiled on 15th October, they won’t go on sale until 18th October. To know the pricing and availability details, we’ll have to wait for the official launch event to take place.

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Google launched Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL smartphones in May earlier this year and both the smartphone were made available for purchase from the same day. However, that is not going to be the case with the company’s upcoming flagship phones.

While the Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are set to get unveiled on 15th October, they won’t be available for purchase from the same day. The company itself is indirectly telling us that we must not expect to see any Pixel 4 phone on sale on October 15, and not in the following days, either.

Through the official Android Twitter account, the company has confirmed that the OnePlus 7T will be the first smartphone to run Android 10 and since the phone will be released on 18th October, its safe to assume that the Pixel 4 series phones won’t be available for purchase till 18th October.

The new #OnePlus7T is the first device to ship with #Android10. It’s helpful, secure, and a 10/10. pic.twitter.com/QX3Q30hALq

— Android (@Android) September 26, 2019

Like most major flagship smartphone launch, Google is expected to start taking pre-orders for the phones soon after the it announces them at an event on 15th October, with a shipping date of 18th October or later. However, do note that this has not been directly confirmed by the Mountain View giant.

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Also, this is in line with the company’s previous record of launching flagship Pixel smartphones. Apart from the Pixel 3a series, none of the smartphones in this lineup went on sale the same day they were announced, right from the original Pixel to the last year’s Pixel 3 lineup.

Coming to the specs, reports indicate that the Pixel 4 will sport a 5.7-inch display with 1080 x 2280 pixels resolution while the Pixel 4 XL should come with a 6.2-inch screen having 1440 x 3040 pixels resolution. Both the devices will come with a notch-less design.

The upcoming devices will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 octa-core processor, along with up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, dual rear cameras, as well as features like Motion Sense and others.

As for the pricing, the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are expect to cost similar to their predecessor, so the pricing could start at $799 and $899 respectively. To know for sure about the phone’s pricing and availability, we’ll have to wait a couple of weeks for the launch event to take place on 15th October.

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When the Pixel 4 launches on October 15, it will come with a feature called Motion Sense. Motion Sense will allow users to control the device without touching it, thanks to the Soli Radar sensor buried in the top bezel.

However, it has been revealed that the feature will only in certain markets. A list of countries where it will work in has been released as well as a list of supported countries. Before we get to the lists, it is important to state why Motion Sense is available in some markets and not others.

Motion Sense is based on Project Soli, a technology that uses advanced radar technology. Therefore, Google has to be granted permission to use this technology in countries including the United States. So these countries were the feature will be supported can be said to be those that have granted Google permission.

The list of countries was obtained from the Motion Sense app by Nextrift, a Malaysian tech blog that has got its hands on a unit.

Countries/Territories with support for Motion Sense

• American Samoa
• Austria
• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Canada
• Croatia
• Cyprus
• Czechia
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Guam
• Hungary
• Ireland
• Italy
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Poland
• Portugal
• Puerto Rico
• Romania
• Singapore
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Taiwan
• United Kingdom
• United States
• Virgin Islands, U.S.

The list of countries may increase at launch or post-launch. Notable countries not on the list are China (not surprising), India, Japan, and Mexico. There is also no African or Middle-Eastern Country on the list.

For the apps that support Motion Sense, the list is populated by streaming and playback apps. We definitely hope Motion Sense does more than just change tracks.

• Amazon Music
• Deezer
• Google Play Music
• iHeartRadio
• Pandora
• Spotify
• Spotify Stations
• YouTube Music
• YouTube

The Pixel 4 duo will come with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 processor, 90Hz displays, Titan M Security, and FaceID. They will run Android 10 out of the box with exclusive and new software features. be available in Just Black, Oh So Orange, and Clearly White.

Non-contact gesture control is not a new feature in the mobile industry. A number of Chinese phones including Doogee have offered them on phones in the past though they are definitely not as advanced as the Pixel 4’s Motion Sense.

Earlier his year, LG announced something similar called Air Motion which is available on the LG G8 ThinQ which allows you to not control playback but also control volume with a gesture similar to you turning a knob. You can also take screenshots with a pinch gesture.

Huawei’s Mate 30 Pro also has a similar feature allowing you to swipe to scroll and make a grab-gesture to take a screenshot.

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(Via: 1, 2)

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This year has been amazing for the smartphone industry as many manufacturers released devices with incredible camera setups as well as truly bezeless displays. UMIDIGI was among these manufacturers and recently announced the UMIDIGI F2 flagship with quad-camera setup and a hole-punch display that hosts the selfie shooter.

The device officially announced on September 23rd is the first hole-punch display phone of UMIDIGI. It measures at 6.53″ and comes with a FHD+ resolution, with the hole-punch being placed on the top-left corner hosting the 32MP front camera. This sensor is the same found in Huawei’s new premium flagship Huawei Mate 30 Pro. This technique reduces bezels even further by utilizing accurate laser cutting technology to create the cut-out. What’s more, the hole doesn’t affect the cinematic experience while watching movies or playing games and puts more in view when you’re browsing the internet or checking social media, thanks to the accurate pixel allocation surrounding the cut-out. Also, the 32MP sensor supports pixel-binning to provide brighter, clearer selfies. Paired with AI beautify, it can enhance your facial features for stunningly gorgeous results.

Other specifications include a rear camera with a 48MP main sensor, an ultra-wide camera, a macro camera, and a depth camera. There is also a 5150mAh battery, 6GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 128GB of UFS 2.1 internal storage that complement the Helio P70 SoC while you’ll also get NFC and the latest stock Android 10.

1 of 2

The UMIDIGI F2 will start global sale October 14th on Aliexpress. The price is yet to be revealed but we expect it to be less than $250. Surely, a presale promotion will be available when it officially launches so you’d better add the F2 to your cart now at the UMIDIGI Official Store on Aliexpress in case you miss the deal.

Lastly, in order to improve the user experience, UMIDIGI is running a big giveaway to recruit 10 trial users for the UMIDIGI F2. You can check out the full specs of F2 and join the giveaway on their official website.

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Google will be announcing the Pixel 4 series of smartphones on Oct. 15. Plenty of leaks have already revealed lot of information on the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL phones. Well ahead of the launch, NextRift has shared top quality hands-on shots of the production unit of the Pixel 4 XL.

The new images seem to belong to the “Clearly White” edition of the Pixel 4 XL. The forehead of the phone is quite thick mainly because it features the Project Soli radar technology that will bring forth touch-free motion control on the device. In comparison to the predecessor, Google has reduced the size of the chin on the Pixel 4 XL. The front and metal frame that has a matte finish are black in color whereas its rear side is white.

The left edge of the Google Pixel 4 XL has the volume rocker. The orange colored power button can be seen on the right side of the device. The publication claims that the rear glass of the Pixel 4 XL has a light matte finish that has a regular glass like appeal. Also, it can resist fingerprint marks.

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The “Smooth Display” screen that can be seen above provides a toggle to dynamically adjust between 60 and 90 Hz refresh rate. This indicates that the Pixel 4 XL will be arriving with an OLED display that supports 90 Hz refresh ratev. Through AIDA64 diagnostic tool, it was found that the Pixel 4 XL has a 6.23-inch screen that offers 3040 x 440 pixels resolution.

The tool also revealed that the Pixel 4 XL features Snapdragon 855 mobile platform and 6 GB of RAM. It has a native storage of 128 GB and it is packed with a 3,700mAh battery. The black colored square box at the top-left corner on the rear side of the Pixel 4 XL has three camera sensors and an LED flash. AIDA64 seems to have revealed that its primary lens is of 12.2-megapixel. Previous reports have revealed that the other sensor is a 16-megapixel telephoto lens. On the frontside of the phone is an 8.1-megapixel selfie snapper.

1 of 6

There is Face Unlock feature on the device that works like Apple’s Face ID. It can unlock the phone with face recognition even in darker conditions. The publication has revealed that there is no fingerprint scanner on the device. Camera samples comparison between Pixel 4 XL and Galaxy S10+ shows that the former is able to capture shots with better detail preservation and color reproduction.

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