It’s August, and with just weeks to go before the unveiling of Google’s next-generation Pixels, details leak about what to expect. Google is joining the 90Hz refresh rate club with the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL.
The 90Hz refresh rate will be given to both phones, a feature Google will call “Smooth Display.” By bumping up the refresh rate to 90Hz, Google is taking Android gaming seriously, as are a some other OEMs such as OnePlus (OnePlus 7 Pro), Huawei (upcoming Mate 30 Pro rumored to have 90Hz refresh), ASUS (first-generation ROG Phone), and Razer (Razer Phone 2).
Aside from the 90Hz refresh rate, the Pixel 4 series will get a bump from 4GB of RAM to 6GB, which puts them on true flagship status. Sure, there are 8GB and 12GB RAM Android-powered smartphones on the market, but 6GB RAM qualifies for flagship status these days. 4GB of RAM are showing up in mid-range smartphones now, and it’s been high time for Google to give its flagship phones flagship RAM.
90Hz refresh rates and 6GB of RAM will be met with two sizes, 5.7 inches and 6.3 inches (both OLED panels). The 5.7-inch Pixel 4 will have a Full HD+ resolution while the 6.3-inch display will have Quad HD+ resolution.
Something about Google providing the same resolutions for its models as Samsung provides for the Galaxy Note 10 series says that it’s more than coincidental. It seems as though Android OEMs are starting to charge more for higher display resolutions than in years past.
As for cameras, the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL will sport 12MP and 16MP shooters on the back, dual rear cameras. The 12MP shooter will come with phase-detection autofocus while the 16MP camera is the telephoto lens. Google has already leaked the back of the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL back in June, showing off a square camera module designed for at least dual rear cameras.
There’s little known about the selfie camera or cameras, but a concept render suggests there are five sensors at the top of the display on the front — a sign that Google could have dual selfie cameras there as well. OnLeaks has shown the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL to have extremely large “foreheads” but noticeably thinner “chins.” There could be as many as five cameras on the Pixel 4 series.
Face Unlock and Motion Sense have been confirmed for the handset as new software features, so some of the five front sensors may be utilized to these ends.
Along the lines of excellent photography, rumor has it that Google is also preparing a DSLR accessory for the upcoming Pixels. With Google’s track record in photography from the very beginning of the Pixel series, the camera accessory is sure to garner a lot of interest.
Finally, as for battery capacity, the smaller 5.7-inch Pixel 4 will house a 2,800mAh battery while the Pixel 4 XL will house a 3,700mAh battery. The smaller Pixel is getting a display size increase from 5.5 to 5.7 inches but is losing 115mAh of battery from the 2,915mAh battery in last year’s Pixel 3. The Pixel 4 XL will retain the same 6.3-inch display size of the Pixel 3 XL but is getting a 270mAh bump from 3,430mAh to 3,700mAh.
Both models will feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 chipset (not the Snapdragon 855 Plus, mind you), the same chipset Samsung has given to its Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy Note 10 Plus.
Last but not least, the Pixel 4 series will see some new Google Assistant features exclusive to Google’s handsets, for now at least. It’s a known fact that Google Assistant was once exclusive only to the original Pixel and Pixel XL but slowly started making its way to other Android-powered handsets and tablets. The upcoming Google Assistant features are expected to do the same.
The company’s Project Soli chip, allowing for air gesture-based interactions, looks to arrive on the world market on these handsets as well. Google introduced Project Soli to the Android world back at Google I/O 2015 four years ago.
Google will announce the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL at its fourth Made By Google event in October, as is the usual month for the Pixel event. The Pixel 4 series will be the first series to feature Google’s upcoming Android 10.0 Q update.
Usually, Google unveils a new “sweet treat” statue to go with its new Android system update, so Android users anxiously await the crowning of the new sweet treat by which they will refer to their operating system for the next year.
Check out our Pixel 4 Preview to stay afloat of the leaks regarding Google’s next mobile gadgets.