If you’re feeling a sense of déjà vu, you’re not alone.
After a deluge of leaks, Google announced the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL at its Made by Google event in New York City.
In a lot of ways, the new phones resemble past Pixels — the matte, textured back panel, the phone’s function-over-form design, the excellent camera. But the more things stay the same, the more they change.
For one, Google ditched the notch after the controversy around the Pixel 3 XL. Now, both the 4 and 4 XL feature a larger top bezel reminiscent of the one on the Pixel 2 XL or Pixel 3. The bottom bezel and the side bezels are quite small.
Another visual change: Google moved away from the two-tone glass look in favour of a large, square camera bump.
Love it or hate it, the new design is striking while still being undeniably Google.
However, more than just the exterior has changed. The Pixel 4 features a slightly bigger 5.7-inch OLED display at 1080 x 2160 pixels compared to the Pixel 3’s 5.5-inch screen. The Pixel 4 XL has a 6.3-inch display. Both phones’ screens offer a 90Hz refresh rate.
Inside, both the Pixel 4 and 4 XL have a Snapdragon 855 and 6GB of RAM. Both come in either 64GB or 128GB storage variants. Finally, the Pixel 4 has a 2,800mAh battery while the 4 XL has a 3,700mAh battery.
The camera, however, is an area of significant change. For the first time, Google has included a second rear camera on a Pixel. It sports a 16-megapixel f/2.4 telephoto shooter with OIS along with a 12.2-megapixel f/1.7 wide-angle lens with OIS.
Around the front, Google opted for one selfie camera this time. However, it made the 8-megapixel, f/2.0 shooter ultra-wide so you can still get those group shots.
However, how much these hardware changes will affect the photo experience remain to be seen.
Android 10, new Assistant and more
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Naturally, both devices come running the latest Android 10. However, they sport some extra software features that should improve the experience. For one, the Pixel 4 comes with the next-gen, faster Google Assistant (which won’t come to Canada at launch) and a new face unlock capability powered by hardware.
Further, the Pixel 4 will sport ‘Motion Sense,’ a new feature that recognizes gestures and allows users to skip through music, shush notifications and more with a wave of their hand.
Finally, the Pixel 4 and 4 XL will come in ‘Clearly White,’ ‘Just Black’ and a limited edition ‘Oh So Orange.’ The latter won’t be available in Canada at launch, however.
The Pixel 4 will cost $999 for the 64GB variant and $1,129 for the 128GB model. The Pixel 4 XL costs $1,129 for 64GB and $1,259 for the 128GB model. The prices are the same as last year’s Pixel 3 and 3 XL at launch.
Both the 4 and 4 XL are available for pre-order starting October 15th and will go on sale in Canada on October 24th.
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