Google Pixel 4/Pixel 4 XL

[Lava Lamp Freak]

“Nobody makes a perfect phone, much less so on the first couple of attempts.”

Uhm, Google has had YEARS to get the Pixel (almost) right on the first attempt because of the Nexus line. All they did was rename the phone to Pixel. Excuses, excuses.

Not that I need to explain myself, I’m on here because I’m genuinely interested in Android phones. Had a S8+ that disappointed me. Had 3 XL that disappointed me as well. I’m hoping that Google will prove me wrong with the 4. There’s nothing wrong with criticism. I criticize Apple constantly. That’s one reason why I frequent the Android section because I’m both happy and unhappy with the iPhone.

From my perspective, Nexus was a budget line and Pixel is a high mid-range device. Pixel 3 was not worth the retail cost at release. They shouldn't be selling this hardware at a flagship pricing. I don't anticipate this to change for Pixel 4. One will have to wait until at least November to get Pixel 4 at more reasonable pricing.

They've always been 1 to 2 years behind the competition. I've always assumed that to be on purpose, though -- because Google partners with their hardware competition they don't want to trample on their sales, as that wouldn't be good for their business model.

I can understand your complaints with failures of Google with the Pixel phone, but honestly I don't think they're going to make the changes that you're looking for. Pixel is never going to lockstep with the competition. It seems obvious to me now that that was never their intent.

I didn't keep my Pixel 3 because I felt that it was a regression when compared to my S8, which I've had for two years now. I'd greatly prefer stock Android and no curved screen, though, so my only benchmark for Pixel 4 is it needs to feel like an upgrade over my S8.

iOS, in its current form, is dead to me as a personal device. My mom has an iPhone XR, and it was very frustrating just doing something that should be simple, such as getting ringtones synced to it. Just the fact that I can't connect iPhone to my PC and drag and drop wallpapers and ringtones drives me mad.

 

[jamezr]

Nobody makes a perfect phone, much less so on the first couple of attempts.

If you honestly believe all Androids are bad, why are you wasting your time in the Android section?

Why wouldn't I defend a Google Pixel? I had a Pixel 2XL for 10 months and it was a joy to use with the best camera around. And despite owning an iPhone XS Max that cost an eye watering £1,249, I prefer the 3a XL that cost less than half that.

Totally agree with you.....The Pixel line is still young in my eyes too.
Then to me the Pixel is not about hardware specs.......it has always been the overall user experience.
Imho Google nails it with the Pixel line. Even more so than Apple does with the iPhone. The Xs Max I have is a great phone but it is expensive. The P3XL I have provides a better all around user experience for me for less money.

I agree nobody makes a perfect phone.
I have had every iPhone since day one.....they were not all home runs...... The IP4 was horrible....I would hold it and watch it drop service and render it useless as a cell phone.

Some people come into this section just to complain....they don't realistically participate in the discussions. They are just here to knock Android and say something negative.
They are pretty easy to spot huh?

 

[Fernandez21]

This article from Android Central makes me worried we may face another underwhelming year from Google: https://www.androidcentral.com/editors-desk-googles-looming-pixel-4-disappointment


The 4 won’t be horrible by any means, but it won’t feel enough like a 2019 product.

Basically it talks about how the leaks show a phone that shows Google thinks it can stick specs from a year or two ago on a new model phone and sell it based on software tricks (mostly in the camera) alone.

To some extent this is the crux of my frustration with the iPhone XR and 11r. At least where the camera lens offerings are concerned. But that can be overlooked in a phone that is supposed to be a more budget friendly offering.

We are talking about Google’s top of the line flagship still looking a bit unrefined. Pixels have gotten by so far on quirky charm and camera magic. But at this point in the game, for those flagship prices, I do expect more.

And do my eyes deceive— are the leaks showing a curved glass display? Please no. No, no no no.

I prize my Pixel 3XL’s flat display so much.

If you look at your pixel from side, you’ll see it has a super slight curve at the edge, slight enough that you can’t tell it’s there from the front, but from the side you’ll see it.

 

[michael9891]

Of course the Pixel line needs to improve in certain areas, but it's not that far away. Bigger battery, more ram and losing the notch would be a big step forward.

It already has the camera nailed down (which for many is a major consideration when buying a phone). While the likes of Huawei are really pushing the boat out in regards zoom and night photography, it's the particular type of photo the Pixel takes that people like so much. So even just adding a zoom will be welcome.

The software is spot on and Pixels have always felt very fluid to me. More ram is pretty much a given to help with apps reloading.

As for a curved screen, I really hope they don't go down that route. Using a curved screen is fine but watching videos can be annoying. It woukd have to be ridiculously curved for me to not want to at least try one though.

Funny how someone has owned 2 Android phones and labels them all bad. lol

 

[drinkingtea]

Of course the Pixel line needs to improve in certain areas, but it's not that far away. Bigger battery, more ram and losing the notch would be a big step forward.

It already has the camera nailed down (which for many is a major consideration when buying a phone). While the likes of Huawei are really pushing the boat out in regards zoom and night photography, it's the particular type of photo the Pixel takes that people like so much. So even just adding a zoom will be welcome.

The software is spot on and Pixels have always felt very fluid to me. More ram is pretty much a given to help with apps reloading.

As for a curved screen, I really hope they don't go down that route. Using a curved screen is fine but watching videos can be annoying. It woukd have to be ridiculously curved for me to not want to at least try one though.

Funny how someone has owned 2 Android phones and labels them all bad. lol

I agree with a lot of what you wrote.

I owned two phones that at their release were considered to be the cream of the crop Android-wise. So if these two phones (the S8+ and the 3 XL) disappointed me, I have no doubt that “inferior” Android phones would as well. Nonetheless, I’m still curious about the Pixel 4 and 7 Pro.

 

[noobinator]

Please no gimmicky curved edge display, those suck.

If the P4 isn't a super flagship, then OnePlus 7T Pro releasing in November will be mine.

Most people think there won't be a 7T pro this November. I hope they're wrong .

 

[Lava Lamp Freak]

https://twitter.com/OnLeaks/status/1148172149213028354
https://pricebaba.com/blog/google-pixel-4-xl-5k-renders-360-degree-video-exclusive

 

[noobinator]

These phone are 3+ months away and I'm already underwhelmed.

 

[mjschabow]

Yep. Maybe it’s an ocd issue but I absolutely can’t stand phones that don’t have symmetrical forehead/chins.

 

[Lava Lamp Freak]

I like the look. My concern is what bugs/issues will lie beneath the surface. Hopefully they can improve the video quality, as the Pixel line hasn't been great in comparison to the competition up to this point. Also, hopefully no audio issues when recording video. Pixel 3 was horrible at release. I read that they fixed that issue early this year, though.

 

[Tig Bitties]

On these Pixel 4 XL renders, I like that chin has gone away, like on a iPhone XS or OnePlus 7 Pro, always felt the 2 XL and 3 XL the screen needed to go further down.

But now we get Frankenstein forehead. Yeah no notch, but it looks weird top heavy.

This 4 XL looks like a iPhone XS Max + Pixel 2 XL combo. Doesn't look bad, but certainly not great, will need to see in person first beforehand, no way a first day purchase like previous Pixel's.

 

[slitherjef]

I think what I'd like to see, like @Lava Lamp Freak mentioned is video improvements and not that warping stabilization the 3 has. And an iMovie competitor where I could do light exposure tweaks and maybe cut and paste clips together.

 

[drinkingtea]

That forehead looks h u g e and dated. Yikes, Google.

 

[michael9891]

Pretty sure they could slim the forehead more than that. And I'm hoping for a 6.5" display on the XL.

 

[Lava Lamp Freak]

That forehead looks h u g e and dated. I would much rather have a larger chin than a larger forehead. Yikes, Google.

I'm not just saying this to be an apologist -- IMO it makes more sense to have a larger forehead than to have a larger chin plus a notch. Considering that: This is an improvement over Pixel 3 XL.

I wrote this earlier in the thread, but this is basically like an upside down Essential phone, except with no notch. So it actually more usable screen space. That's a win IMO.

Of course they could have went with the hole-punch design, which would have been awesome, but they couldn't have had the sensors that will be in the forehead.

I agree that it does look dated, though, when compared to the recent competition.

 

[drinkingtea]

I'm not just saying this to be an apologist -- IMO it makes more sense to have a larger forehead than to have a larger chin plus a notch. Considering that: This is an improvement over Pixel 3 XL.

I wrote this earlier in the thread, but this is basically like an upside down Essential phone, except with no notch. So it actually more usable screen space. That's a win IMO.

Of course they could have went with the hole-punch design, which would have been awesome, but they couldn't have had the sensors that will be in the forehead.

I agree that it does look dated, though, when compared to the recent competition.

Respectfully, I disagree. When I’m using my phone, I am largely staring/looking at the screen and the forehead, not the chin. I’d rather be looking at a symmetrical top bezel than a huge forehead. That’s why the design of the 3 XL didn’t bother me too much, even with that notch.

Damn, even the bottom bezel is slightly thicker than the side bezels on this render. Nothing is symmetrical on this phone. Sigh.

 

[Harthag]

I like the look. My concern is what bugs/issues will lie beneath the surface. Hopefully they can improve the video quality, as the Pixel line hasn't been great in comparison to the competition up to this point. Also, hopefully no audio issues when recording video. Pixel 3 was horrible at release. I read that they fixed that issue early this year, though.

I'm cautiously optimistic based on my time so far with the 3a. I haven't experienced any bugs yet. Screen is better than the Pixel 3 I had. The camera doesn't bloat people's faces like my old 2XL did. There is no occasional earpiece speaker rattle, static, or high pitched squeal during calls like my 3XL had. Maybe they've turned a corner re: QC. I hope so. Eagerly await a regular sized P4 if the price is right.

The unevenness doesn't really bother me, I think it's better than a notch or hole cut out. To each his own.

 

[Tig Bitties]

I have the 3 XL now, but once awhile I play with my Wife's 2 XL, and the forehead on the 2 XL looks so huge and lopsided and really dated like a phone from several years ago.

I have always liked Essential's phone center hole punch, it looked minimal and very futuristic with no forehead

 

[5105973]

If you look at your pixel from side, you’ll see it has a super slight curve at the edge, slight enough that you can’t tell it’s there from the front, but from the side you’ll see it.

Yeah if I have to go looking for it I don’t really mind. Screen protectors aren’t a problem to find and apply.

Screen protectors are a must. The tempered glass ones I’ve applied to the kids’ phones and mine and my sister-in-law’s phones have saved them all in accidents. We don’t normally have that many phone drops or hits but the last year we had a few and $10 tempered glass protectors from Amazon saved each phone.

So it really bugs me I can’t apply one to my Samsung. Part of that is due to the curved display but of course now the in display FPS is a factor. I do have a film one on mine.

 

[5105973]

I like the look. My concern is what bugs/issues will lie beneath the surface. Hopefully they can improve the video quality, as the Pixel line hasn't been great in comparison to the competition up to this point. Also, hopefully no audio issues when recording video. Pixel 3 was horrible at release. I read that they fixed that issue early this year, though.

Yeah it was fixed. The audio on my 3XL is actually more clear and pleasant than the audio on my IPhone XR. Apple needs to really pay more attention to audio. They only just got around to making it stereo-capable.

My frustration with all of my Androids in video is that they don’t pan across a scene smoothly. iPhones have been good at this for years.

My 3XL has been good. It got set aside simply because I like the camera on my S10+ so much better.

The overall quality from the S10+ is not as good, but the zoom and wide angle are much appreciated. I mean if I ever get an image that needs tweaking to get it to look better, there’s an app for that. But what can’t be bestowed by an app is the ability to fit all of a desired subject into one frame with that wide angle lens. I’ve been waiting to get a lens like that on a smartphone since LG showed off what they could do.

Oh and I really value the headphone jack.

My husband set his 3XL aside because it glitched a lot when he multi tasked. It needed more RAM.

We also found the battery life very underwhelming and we sometimes inexplicably had drop outs in sound, but not actually connection, on calls. If that has been addressed recently, I would not know because we both have kept our sims in our Samsungs. We kept meaning to switch between them but we both use the wide angle lens too much and my husband uses Samsung Pay a lot.

The digital zoom on my 3XL was always good enough to keep me content, so Google adding in a zoom lens isn’t enough for me. Apple is going for and Samsung already has wide angle lenses in their 2019 flagships. For me the wide angle lens is table stakes on an Android for 2019. If it has it, I’ll be thrilled.

I’ll forgive it not being on the 11R because I have my S10+. But to unseat my S10+, Google has got to bring the hardware. S10+ software has been very good, IMO.

 

[slitherjef]

Oh, they also need to make the blasted headphone volume louder! Like Samsung level loud. Used to be able to edit mixer paths but can't now

 

[Fernandez21]

Yeah if I have to go looking for it I don’t really mind. Screen protectors aren’t a problem to find and apply.

Screen protectors are a must. The tempered glass ones I’ve applied to the kids’ phones and mine and my sister-in-law’s phones have saved them all in accidents. We don’t normally have that many phone drops or hits but the last year we had a few and $10 tempered glass protectors from Amazon saved each phone.

So it really bugs me I can’t apply one to my Samsung. Part of that is due to the curved display but of course now the in display FPS is a factor. I do have a film one on mine.

Yeah, the curve on the pixel is the only acceptable one IMO.

 

[Awesomesince86]

Personally, I'm fine with the forehead in the renders. To me the whole notch and holepunch thing was a bit of a gimmick. They're most distracting to me than a slightly larger bezel on top or bottom. Some goes for the popup cameras. The more moving parts the higher the chance for mechanical failure.

I hated trading in my Pixel 3XL but I couldnt tolerate the lag from a flagship phone that costs as much as it did. But I still much the feel of stock android and the camera. So if the Pixel 4 keeps its superior camera quality while added more RAM and a decent biometric alternative to the rear FPS, I'll be on board.

 

[Tig Bitties]

Personally, I'm fine with the forehead in the renders. To me the whole notch and holepunch thing was a bit of a gimmick. They're most distracting to me than a slightly larger bezel on top or bottom. Some goes for the popup cameras. The more moving parts the higher the chance for mechanical failure.

I hated trading in my Pixel 3XL but I couldnt tolerate the lag from a flagship phone that costs as much as it did. But I still much the feel of stock android and the camera. So if the Pixel 4 keeps its superior camera quality while added more RAM and a decent biometric alternative to the rear FPS, I'll be on board.

I'm of the opposite opinion I don't like the Frankenstein forehead it makes the phone very dated like from two or three years ago. but I agree I don't like notches I think that iPhone notch is hideous and ridiculous looking same with a 3XL notch.

But... On Android if you have a dark status bar you don't really see the notch and it's kind of cool to see the clock and other status bar symbols all the way up to the top edge of the screen that makes it look more modern. right now on Mack rumors page it's a dark navy blue header can barely even see the notch on my 3 XL but I could see the clock and stuff pushed all the way to the outer edges making the phone like futuristic .

I still think the Essential phone did it very minimal and modern. And looks like that Note 10 will be doing similar. I like that approach.

And a few years they'll have the front facing camera and bedded behind the screen and then we could truly have full screen phones but we're probably 2 or 3 years away from that being done properly.

 

[Awesomesince86]

I think if companies are going to insist on going for a full screen experience, then just do what OP did and use a pop-up front camera. Theres a higher chance of mechanical failure but you achieve your goal of all screen front and really who is going to use the front camera enough to wear out the mechanism if it is engineered well? Its not my favorite but its the best of the all screen options for now.

My guess for why that wasnt an option on the Pixel 4 was that I believe theyre going to introduce a FaceID competitor which needs a lot of sensors and cameras that are quickly available.