- Google on Tuesday unveiled its new flagship smartphone, the Pixel 4.
- The Pixel 4 phones have a design that’s similar to the Pixel 2, except for a revamped rear camera.
- It will come in two sizes – standard and XL – and three colors: black, white, or a limited-edition bright orange.
- The Pixel 4 starts at $799, and the Pixel 4 XL starts at $899. It’s available to preorder on Tuesday and will be widely available on October 24.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
With the countless leaks in the past few weeks, you might have thought Google had already announced its new Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL flagship smartphones, but the company made the phones official and filled in all the missing details at its big “Made by Google” event on Tuesday.
Combined with Google’s own teasers, the incessant leaks, which ranged from high-resolution photos to full video reviews from Vietnamese tech YouTubers, left very little room for surprises.
Regardless, there’s nothing like fully confirmed and official details. The Pixel 4 starts at $799, and the Pixel 4 XL starts at $899. The devices are available to preorder on Tuesday and will be widely available on October 24.
Check out everything you need to know about the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL:
Design
The Pixel 4 phones have a design that's similar to the Pixel 2, with a large top bezel "forehead." The "chin," or bottom bezel, is relatively thin.
On the back, the Pixel 4 phones are glass with a soft matte texture. The device will come in three colors: black, white, or a limited-edition bright orange. All color options come with matte black metal edges.
If you're curious, the Pixel 4 weighs in at 162 grams and the Pixel 4 XL at 193 grams.
Screen
The Pixel 4 has a 5.7-inch OLED display at 1080p resolution.
The Pixel 4 XL has a 6.3-inch OLED display at 1440p resolution.
The screens on both models are 90Hz, which is smoother and more fluid than standard smartphone screens that run at 60Hz. The Pixel 4 phones will tone the screens down to 60Hz when it's not needed (but how it decides whether it's needed is still unclear).
Google also added its Ambient EQ feature for the Pixel 4 screens that adjusts the screen's color temperature for better colors and eye comfort depending on the lighting in your surroundings.
While we're on the screen topic, Google gave a little refresh to its Google Assistant. Google Assistant got a "clean, new interface," the company said, and looks sleeker and more integrated with the phone - like it's part of the Pixel 4 rather than a separate entity.
Cameras
The Pixel 4 phones have a dual-lens-camera system.
- The regular camera lens is 12 megapixels, and the zoomed lens is 16 megapixels.
- The zoomed lens combines optical zoom with Google's Super Res Zoom digital zooming, which the company said takes sharp photos even at maximum zoom.
- Both cameras have optical image stabilization (OIS).
- Google has enhanced its HDR with the new "Live HDR Plus" the company said gives you more color and lighting accuracy.
- The Pixel 4's Night Sight got a new mode called "Astrophotography." As its name implies, it's designed to take better photos of the night sky.
Specs
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
- 6 GB of RAM
- Pixel 4 - 2,800mAh battery
- Pixel 4 XL - 3,700mAh
- 18W fast charger included
- Wireless charging
- IP68 water resistance
- Available in 64 GB and 128 GB of storage
Special feature: Radar-based facial recognition and motion gesture controls.
That forehead of the phone is where Google is storing its "Soli" advanced radar-based facial-recognition tech that can scan your face faster than any other phone, Google said.
The Soli sensors can also be used for motion-gesture controls for a limited number of apps, at least for now. So far, supported controls include skipping songs, snoozing alarms, and silencing phone calls by waving your hands.
Price and release date
The Pixel 4 starts at $799, and the Pixel 4 XL starts at $899.
You can preorder the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL starting on Tuesday. They'll be widely available to buy on October 24, and will be compatible with all US carriers.
Read more of Business Insider's Google event coverage:
Google just announced its new laptop, the Pixelbook Go
Google unveiled a new version of its $49 smart speaker named the Nest Mini
Google just announced a $270 Nest WiFi system that doubles as a smart speaker