NEWS: Pixel 4 and 4 XL smartphones launched at Google event

Wait a month or 2.

Will be some of those slight hardware changes in manufacturing. Price will also drop.

Then I may consider. But at full price.. too much. Still rocking my OG Pixel XL :thumbsup:
 
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these look great,will upgrade from my pixel 2xl when they drop a bit.
 
these look great,will upgrade from my pixel 2xl when they drop a bit.
I've just done just that. The sales patter was too strong for my will power to resist. :blush::rotfl:

The Pixel 2 XL is/ was the first phone I kept for longer than a year (Pixel 3 XL did nothing for me), and it still does everything I need perfectly. So I'm hoping the 4 XL will have similar legs.

Paul
 
You do get a free Chromebook currently worth £249 if you pre-order.

I was umming and aahing to get one for my wife due to the Chromebook offer, but her 2 year old Galaxy S8 is still going strong. I ended up looking at Chromebooks in general then realised our 7-year old MacBook Pro is showing its age.....ended up ordering a MacBook Air instead! I blame Google for the purchase!!
 
I really want Google to nail their phones, but have to admit, for some reason, for another year, this just feels lacking.
The presentation was very odd also, highlighting things it was not good at, and the whole soli radar chip thing, which is supposed to be amazing has hardly been used for anything.
It's odd.
The timeline is always bad of course, releasing a phone right at the end of the CPU cycle.
I so want them to nail their phone, but really I don't feel they have in in them to do it, as it's just not THAT important to them.
Ideal world for me would be to lose the illusion of grandeur, and go back to Nexus, with great band for the buck hardware.
I have a Nexus still now, and struggling to feel any need to change it.
 
I loved my time with the Nexus phones I had. I probably would have kept my Nexus 5 even longer if the battery was better.

I don't see the Pixel range as worth the high-end prices they're charging, but then again, I'll never pay more than around £300 for a phone, as I'm not fussed about having the latest and greatest, so wait for prices to drop or buy pre-owned.
 
You do get a free Chromebook currently worth £249 if you pre-order.
I find this an odd decision. They kept banging on about ambient computing so surely giving away a Nest Hub or Next Hub Max or even the new Pixel Buds would have been a more logical way to go?!

Maybe they just have a load of these Chromebooks lying around, they need shot of?!

Paul
 
I find this an odd decision. They kept banging on about ambient computing so surely giving away a Nest Hub or Next Hub Max or even the new Pixel Buds would have been a more logical way to go?!

Maybe they just have a load of these Chromebooks lying around, they need shot of?!

Paul
They're trying to popularise Chromebook uptake.
 
Was having a butchers last night at the standard pixel 4 as the xl is too big for me. Will wait until after Xmas and see if prices have dropped much.

Still got my pixel 2 which is going strong that I picked up as a refurb 6 months after release for half the price so may do the same with the 4.
 
Pretty sure there’s an option to not allow that.

No, for some reason Google have omitted it from the release firmware.





Google even have a warning about it on their website.

  • Looking at your phone can unlock it even when you don’t intend to.
  • Your phone can be unlocked by someone who looks a lot like you, like an identical sibling.
  • Your phone can also be unlocked by someone else if it’s held up to your face, even if your eyes are closed. Keep your phone in a safe place, like your front pocket or handbag. To prepare for unsafe situations, learn how to turn on lockdown.

 
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Don't really know why there is such a MASSIVE hub-bub around the eye's open issue.
We've had fingerprint sensors on phones for many years, way back in 2013 when Apple showed off their version and how amazingly secure it was apparently back then.

However, you could press someone's finger against it is they were drunk or sleeping, or hell just chop off their fingers if you really wanted to!

So, face un-lock works with eye's closed. Big whoop!
Seems like it's Apple Fanbois that are trying to make this into something.

However, yes, I would agree, it would still be nice to have that option in settings, which I'm sure will probably appear now, in time, given all the fuss.
But this will of course make it slower to unlock.
But, it would be good to have this option for the customer.

TBH if this is the biggest issue they have to pick on, it must be dam good on all other aspects.
 
Another thought.

Given the Maker? of the system has officially dropped the notch,
And we have some fancy pop up camera's on a few.

You think it's safe to come to the conclusion that, as far as Android is concerned the Notch is officially dead, and will faze out very soon as a very quick passing fad ?

Let's be honest, it's a bit of a dumb idea to cut into the display, you'd never want this on a Monitor or TV.
 
Don't really know why there is such a MASSIVE hub-bub around the eye's open issue.
We've had fingerprint sensors on phones for many years, way back in 2013 when Apple showed off their version and how amazingly secure it was apparently back then.

However, you could press someone's finger against it is they were drunk or sleeping, or hell just chop off their fingers if you really wanted to!

So, face un-lock works with eye's closed. Big whoop!
Seems like it's Apple Fanbois that are trying to make this into something.

However, yes, I would agree, it would still be nice to have that option in settings, which I'm sure will probably appear now, in time, given all the fuss.
But this will of course make it slower to unlock.
But, it would be good to have this option for the customer.

TBH if this is the biggest issue they have to pick on, it must be dam good on all other aspects.

What a strange attitude. Having a phone that a child or other family member can unlock while you sleep (without even touching you, like trying to put your finger on the print reader example) is terribly insecure.

I haven't seen anyone but you mention Apple, are you the "fanbois" (sic) you're referring to?
 
What a strange attitude. Having a phone that a child or other family member can unlock while you sleep (without even touching you, like trying to put your finger on the print reader example) is terribly insecure.

I haven't seen anyone but you mention Apple, are you the "fanbois" (sic) you're referring to?

Well I read and listen to many Apple and Android Forums/Podcasts, and have no allegiance to either.
I just notice the general chat and who'd making the loudest noise, and from what I see, whilst it's been mentioned on the Android side, it's vastly more strongly coming from the Apple side on this.

They are doing it this way for speed, as it's starting to get ready for the unlock from the second you start picking it up from the table.
As I say, given the noise, I'm sure there will be an option added in the future.

On the other side, I would like to suggest, if you live in your home, and your wife/girlfriend/child is going to take your phone, hold it near your face whilst you are sleeping in an attempt to unlock it and gain access, you have far more problems in your life to deal with than your mobile phone.

I'd like to get a Pixel 4 at some point.
Just having listened to a podcast with one the Pixel design/type people even they say it's very early days for the product. The hardware is now here and done, and now they are going to spend the time to add in and grow the software/abilities over time.
 
Lack of wide angle lens means this is a pass for me. Was looking forward to trying a Pixel but it looks like the P30 Pro will be my next handset.
 
Lack of wide angle lens means this is a pass for me. Was looking forward to trying a Pixel but it looks like the P30 Pro will be my next handset.

I have to agree, it's a shame Google constantly apprears to be one step/year behind others re hardware

The had single camera when most had normal and Tele.
Now others have Normal, Tele, Wide. Google has Normal, Tele.

Likewise most get the new Snapdragon at the start of the year, and Google the same chip at the end of the year.

By that logic we'll get a Pixel 5 with a Wideangle and 865 in 12 months time.
Perhaps THAT will be the model that really feels like it's on a par finally?
 
Was going to pick one of these up but seriously underwhelmed despite the draw a Pixel phone has for me.
Reviews I’ve watched now also indicate poor battery life (which I know can be improved in software but the standard Pixel is seriously under endowed in the battery dept) and a camera which, while still good, no longer has the big advantage image wise over its rivals.
For me, there’s just nothing here to tempt me this year.
 
Having watched and listened to, probably far more details than I should have done about the new Pixel 4.
It seems to be agreed what Google is all about is clever software. If you invest in a Google product you are basically buying their excellence when it comes what they are able to do with their amazing data, machine learning and all of that stuff.
They are not really a hardware company in the same way Apple is.
They even admitted much of is is just off the shelf parts, but mixed with how they can do so much more with it than others.
This is great, and as we all know, hardware is nothing without software.
That said, and this is just me personally saying this, I do really wish, they'd ramp it up a notch or two on the hardware side given how they wish to position their products in the market.
My ideal-ish phone, perhaps would be an iPhone 11 Pro Max, and let Google do the software for it.

The closed eye thing they are going to fix they say.
It was REALLY odd how they actually said many people like a wide angle lens in their presentation when they did not have one. better to just not say anything!
The Soli chip is a bit up in the air, very few features, and even those are very unreliable.
One worry is, Soli used to be a BIG thing when it was demo'd doing amazing stuff years ago, and it's to be seen if shrinking it way down for the Pixel has basically screwed what it's going to be able to do.
Right now, it seems no one is impressed at all, and it's almost (I hope not) got a mood about, it's a gimmic does not work well, and could easy be dropped.
Again, I hope this is wrong.
Soli is supposed to be added into the Google Home devices, which may seem to say would make more sense than having it on the phone.
Yet again, I'm in the place of 'next years phone should be good'
Add the wide angle
Increase the Battery
Ramp up what Soli can do.
Improve the speakers back to what they were previously.

I really want the pixel phone to be the showcase phone.
Just seems to miss the mark each time in many ways which makes me sad.
 
I always thought LG and Google was a fantastic partnership back in the nexus days. LG used to offer great hardware at a great price with awful software, then Google stepped up with the nexus 4,5&5X to show what their budget hardware could do with good software running the show. It's a credit to the software how good the pixels have been with the flaws but it does make you wonder if they got an OEM to make some serious hardware what they could achieve.

I picked up a pixel 3XL on O2 refresh and it's great for what we paid, under £400 was a good deal, but the RRP of £800 I just couldn't justify anymore, especially for sub par battery life. I see no reason to upgrade anytime soon so see you all at the pixel 6 launch in a few years 😁
 
I still have my Nexus 6.
It's scary how good it still is, and even more scary how many brand new phones in 2019/2020 are worse than my Nexus which was launched on October 15, 2014 which is exactly FIVE Years ago!

My screen is amazing with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels, 5.96 inch Quad HD AMOLED
I have fast charging AND Wireless charging!
A Headphone jack.
Two front facing Stereo Speakers.
13MP main camera with optical stabilisation, dual-LED flash, support for 4K video at 30fps.

Note, this was/is all from a phone launched five years ago for £499 (32GB); £549 (64GB) at the tip/top launch prices.

It's so sad I look at so many phones today, and they are worse than my 5 year old Nexus which I would like to upgrade from.
The only real single grumble I have is I don't have a fingerprint reader, and that's it basically.

:(
 
you are buying it for the SW for sure....they leave so much out and you still pay a premium
 
I've now come to realize having recently purchased myself a Pixel 3XL which I love, and actually had new updates a few weeks even before the very latest Pixel 4 got them,
That, no other brand of phone is for me.

As we have come to understand, somewhat unfortunately I think we will all admit to some degree, Google seem more focused on the software than the hardware, which has bitten them in the backside to a large degree when it comes to tech reviews, that by nature focus on the hardware side.

Owning this phone for a number of weeks, and having had the very latest updates drop on it, together with a year of Google fixing all the issues that came with the Pixel 3 models upon launch, I've realized, for myself personally, having the most up to date software and features, is the most important aspect for me.

I can't imagine now going to another brand, perhaps some better hardware in some areas, but then having to wait months, year+ or perhaps even never getting the latest of what Android can offer.

As many have said, Google do almost seem to release a phone, whilst it's still hardly out of Beta in some areas, and there then follows a long process of, over many weeks, months of fixing the major issues, then polishing the finer ones, and bringing in new additions so that, almost, it seems if you buy it when the next model drops, you are almost getting the best version.

Saying all this, Looking at the latest Pixel 4, I think despite it being new, it's a hard sell over the 3
Looking at Camera comparisons there is very little if anything in it, a slight colour tone change, and tiny more zoom detail due to the admittedly not amazing zoom lens addition.
Lack of WideAngle, Battery Size, being the two weakest areas. The whole Soli radar is looking like a great concept, but I could see it dropped unless it's far better than it looks right now.

Some have suggested the Original Soli demo, which was amazing in fine finger controls was because that Soli chip was vastly larger than the version in the Pixel 4.
Whether than makes a difference, we'll see over the forthcoming year. Right now it does not seem any better than failed offerings from Samsung and LG which both used Camera's the watch for hand movements. I'd like to see it get more use, and before a valuable addition, but the jury I'd say is very much still out on this.

Pixel 5, now, logically, and I'm aware logic and GIANT companies often don't go together, given the hammering Google have got for the Small Battery, No Wide Angle, and dubious Zoom, one would think they'd be sitting round the table right now, planning next Autumns model and saying ok, these are the 3 major negatives we need to put right.
And to be honest, Taken a Pixel 4, add a 3rd Wide Angle, Perhaps a 5x zoom as is appearing elsewhere, and a good sized battery, and there would be almost nothing to moan about.

Ok, perhaps tweak the screen bezel issue, I'd still rather have a notch than a total bar, but that's personal.

I do hope they listen, and Pixel 5 is the phone where they finally get everything right.

Just sayin ;)
 

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