Google Pixel 4 And Pixel 4 XL Announced With 90Hz Smooth Display, Motion Sense, Dual-Camera Setup, More Starting At $799

After months of leaks, Google today officially announced the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. Like previous Pixel handsets, the Pixel 4 series is all about its camera prowess and this time around, Google has included a dual-camera setup on the phones as well.

The Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are unlike other flagship Android smartphones in many ways. While most flagship Android smartphones feature minimal bezels at the front, the Pixel 4 series features chunky bezels at the top and bottom. On the positive side, Google has done away with the XL-sized notch design which was used on the Pixel 3 XL last year.

For displays, the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL pack 5.7-inch FHD+ and 6.3-inch QHD+ OLED displays with 90Hz refresh rate. Google will be marketing the higher refresh rate as Smooth Display. The higher refresh rate should make the Pixel 4 feel smoother to use than other Android flagships like the Galaxy S10, Note 10, and even the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro series.

Apart from focusing on the camera, Google has also tried to innovate with Motion Sense on Pixel 4. The feature makes use of Project Soli hardware from Google to offer gesture controls for common tasks like changing music, muting alarms and incoming calls, and more. We have seen LG try something similar with the G8 earlier this year, though its implementation was widely panned.

The top bezel on the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL also includes relevant IR hardware for face unlock. Google is going all-in on face unlock this year and it has not included a fingerprint sensor on the phones at all. 

As for the camera, the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL feature a dual-camera setup at the rear. This includes a primary 12MP f/1.8 shooter with OIS and a secondary 16MP telephoto sensor. While the entire smartphone industry is racing towards including an ultra-wide-angle sensor on its smartphones, Google has ditched it in favor of a telephoto sensor. Some of the new camera features on the Pixel 4 series include Astrophotography, Action Mode, improved Night Sight, Super Res Zoom, Live HDR+, Dual Exposure control, and more.

On the software front, the Pixel 4 runs on Android 10 and features next-generation Google Assistant. The new version of the voice assistant runs locally on the device which makes it significantly faster to process voice requests. It also comes with a new Voice Recorder app that can transcribe recorded audio in real-time.

Below are the full specs of the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL:

The Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL will go on sale from October 24th, with pre-orders starting today. Pricing starts from $799 for the Pixel 4 and $899 for the Pixel 4 XL. In the United States, the handsets will be available across all major carriers including T-Mobile, Verizon, and Sprint.