Google follows on weeks of leaks with the actual release of the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL-- an upgrade featuring tweaked designs and a rear-facing dual-camera setup enhanced with interesting software capabilities.
Both Pixel 4 and 4 XL share the same internals in the shape of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset, 6GB RAM and 64 or 128GB of storage. The display is 5.7-inch in the regular Pixel 4 and 6.3-inch in the XL, and is based on a 90Hz flexible OLED panel capable of 100000:1 contrast, true black and HDR support. It also features what Google dubs "Motion Sense," a radar system able to detect motion and read hand gestures. For example, it can sense when the phone is about to be picked up and prepare face unlock, or automatically turn off the screen when put down.
Google is also pushing the cameras in the two smartphones. Housed inside a chunky square bump, the setup consists of a 16MP f/2.4 camera with 1.0 μm pixels and a 52° field of view, and a 12.2MP unit with ƒ/1.7 aperture with 1.4 μm pixels and a 77° field of view. Both cameras offer EIS and OIS, and feature software-powered telephoto facility and low light capability so good Google claims it can take effective night sky photos. Selfie snapping is also improved, since the 8MP front-facing camera has an ƒ/2.0 aperture and 90° field of view.
In further details, the phones are powered by 2800 or 3700mAh battery complete with 18W fast charging and Q-certified wireless charging, while connectivity comes through Nano SIM. Some regions also offer eSIM capability, but 5G remains unavailable. Also included in both Pixel 4 and 4 XL are stereo speakers and 3 mics with noise suppression.
The Pixel 4 and 4 XL are available by end October 2019 in a choice of three colours, white, black and, in limited edition, orange.
