02 Oct 2019

After a strong 2018 which saw the Google Pixel 3 draw praise for its powerful camera setup, the eyes of the smartphone world are fixated on Google to see what they’ll conjure up with the Google Pixel 4.

What makes this year’s release even more fascinating, is the fact Google has already confirmed some of the key features in the lead up to the launch, shooting down the hundreds of rumours that were doing the rounds over the past few months.

Regardless of Google’s interesting marketing ploy, many key features are still up in the air and we’re excited to see how the device stacks up against the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and iPhone 11.

Pencil in October 16 (Australian time) as the day you’ll be able to first gaze at the Google Pixel 4, with the phone set to be announced at Google’s annual Made by Google event in New York.

Made by Google 2019 will begin at 12AM (AEST) on October 16 and while only select media reps have been invited to the event, you can Livestream the entire show through the following YouTube feed.

It’s expected pre-sales will commence in the week following Made by Google, with orders to be shipped during the back end of October.

Google provided us with a taste of the Pixel 4 design back in June, after publishing an image through Twitter that confirmed what the back of the device would look like.

The image posted by Google, shows a dual-lens rear camera, without a fingerprint sensor, which up until this point, had been a constant feature of the previous three iterations of the Google Pixel range.

After the controversy that surrounded the fairly massive notch that adorned the front of the Pixel 3 range, it seems this year the notch will be bypassed by a large straight-lined bezel that sits at the top of the screen.

It was only a matter of time before Google gave in to the temptation and adopted a multi-lens approach for their rear camera, with this year’s Pixel device set to host two cameras on the back.

As amazing of a camera as the Pixel 3 was (my personal favourite of 2018), we’re keen to see what Google can do with an extra camera up its sleeve this time around.

According to a hint found by 9to5Google, the extra lens may have a whopping 16MP camera, sensor equipped with a telephoto lens.

Although Google is doubling down on its rear camera setup, expect the Pixel 4 to ditch it’s multi-lens approach on the front, instead opting for a singular lens. Perhaps in exchange for the technology required to enable their new Face Unlock feature (perfect Segway).

Face unlock and "Motion Sense" were features confirmed by Google in Late July and it's safe to say we’re very intrigued to see what they'll do with this new tech.

Interestingly, face unlock will be replacing the fingerprint sensor in the new Pixels which means Google is relying on their implementation to be just as good and secure as Apple's Face ID.

The new Pixel 4 will be the first Soli enabled phone that uses motion-sensing radar technology. Users will be able to "skip songs, snooze alarms and silence phone calls" with hands-free gestures.

If a blog post published by Google Product Manager, Brandon Barbello is anything to go by, we can’t wait to see how the features will operate. Here's what he had to say back in July.

“Other phones require you to lift the device all the way up, pose in a certain way, wait for it to unlock, and then swipe to get to the homescreen. Pixel 4 does all of that in a much more streamlined way.

As you reach for Pixel 4, Soli proactively turns on the face unlock sensors, recognizing that you may want to unlock your phone. If the face unlock sensors and algorithms recognize you, the phone will open as you pick it up, all in one motion.

Better yet, face unlock works in almost any orientation—even if you're holding it upside down—and you can use it for secure payments and app authentication too.”

The hands-on leaks have confirmed the Pixel 4 will include a 90Hz refresh rate, putting it up against the likes of the OnePlus 7 Pro and OnePlus 7T which were the first devices to sport 90Hz displays.

With many new smartphones still sitting at 60Hz (such as the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and iPhone 11) and the OnePlus phones not readily available, the Pixel 4 will be bringing 90Hz displays to the masses.

From our own experience using the iPad Pro (120Hz), we can attest to the fluidity felt when scrolling and navigating with a higher refresh rate and the introduction of the 90Hz display could prove to be one of the key selling points of the Google Pixel 4.

In news that has us smiling for obvious reasons at amaysim HQ. It's expected this year’s Pixel range will come in black, white and a special, oh so orange colour.

The colour was confirmed thanks in part to a huge billboard posted up in Time Square a few weeks ago.

Count as in as big fans!

Last year's Pixel range launched at $1149 (AUD) for the Pixel 3 and $1349 (AUD) for the Pixel 3 XL.

Based on leaked pricing from an Irish Retailer and given the fact we saw Google introduce a more accessible (and cheaper) model in respect to the Pixel 3a earlier this year, it wouldn't surprise us to see the Pixel 4 starting from approximately $1400 for the standard model and $1600 for the XL this time around.

With this said, rumours around pricing can quite often be misleading, so it's probably best to wait until the Made By Google event on October 16 to confirm how much you'll need to fork out.

Regardless of where pricing ends up, it's safe to say we're eagerly awaiting the launch and look forward to providing a hands-on review after the phone has been released. Be prepared for the launch by signing up to one of our mobile phone plans, just choose how much data you think you'll need and you are all set to enjoy the Google Pixel 4.

Till next time.

#google    #pixel