Google Pixel 4/Pixel 4 XL

[noobinator]

This is a great phone but at about $200-$300 cheaper Black Friday prices. Last year they had a buy one get one half off a week before Black Friday. I’ll jump on that deal again this year if it comes up.

We all know with google you pay a hefty premium to be a launch day buyer. Nothing wrong with that either.

 

[michael9891]

I see the Chromebook freebie with UK orders is worth £249. I'd guess you can sell it for at least half that, making the price better value. Plus over here all the models have had a £40 reduction on last year.

 

[cuzo]

I don't wanna get banned for trolling but I always felt the pixel just sucks.

I don't see the purpose, the phone has hardware issues usually, stock android is boring, they add all these useless gestures that most people don't use, still use the base 64 model, samsung screens still destroy theres and it's brighter, samsung gives better trade ins.

I liked the call screening but most people are just hanging up, they won't bother with all that. They didn't seem to improve the camera on the 4 + left out a wide area lenses + WTH why?

When apple got a base 11 with a terrible screen but all IOS, wide area lense, longer updates.. for a cheaper price?

It's DOA compared to the iphone and will be 500 on swappa but december 1st.

I do love the color orange and I hate samsung curved screens but google keeps on dropping the ball.

Also why do google upgrade gpay to support stripped readers like samsung pay does? Why doesn''t google do something to draw in more customers?

Honestly I don't think they care about the phone... and the killed off daydream and people are trying to sell their pixel 2 with daydream and it can't fetch no offers...

 

[Tig Bitties]

I say this almost every Nexus and Pixel release. The Google team behind these phones, is just a small group of ultra nerds working in the Google basement, with a limited budget to muster up some Frankenstein new phone every year. Some years it's good, other years it's poor, but rarely have they been a grand slam near perfect best phone. Always something missing or not great, where other areas it's great, but overall it's a mixed bag. Battery life for one, has never been a strong point, always just ok, not bad, but not great.

But Google asking these $900+ price points is getting ridiculous for what they offer. The Pixel 4 XL starting at like $749 should be the starting point.

 

[5105973]

I don't wanna get banned for trolling but I always felt the pixel just sucks.

I don't see the purpose, the phone has hardware issues usually, stock android is boring, they add all these useless gestures that most people don't use, still use the base 64 model, samsung screens still destroy theres and it's brighter, samsung gives better trade ins.

I liked the call screening but most people are just hanging up, they won't bother with all that. They didn't seem to improve the camera on the 4 + left out a wide area lenses + WTH why?

When apple got a base 11 with a terrible screen but all IOS, wide area lense, longer updates.. for a cheaper price?

It's DOA compared to the iphone and will be 500 on swappa but december 1st.

I do love the color orange and I hate samsung curved screens but google keeps on dropping the ball.

Also why do google upgrade gpay to support stripped readers like samsung pay does? Why doesn''t google do something to draw in more customers?

Honestly I don't think they care about the phone... and the killed off daydream and people are trying to sell their pixel 2 with daydream and it can't fetch no offers...

You’re not trolling. The funny thing is that even we Pixel fans are saying the same things. My husband is so fond of his 3XL he doesn’t want to trade it in, but he says a lot of the same things you’re saying. Almost word for word for some of the things you pointed out like the call screening feature.

That’s why when @drinkingtea was soliciting opinions and input on a good phone to get as a student, I cautioned against a Pixel 4.


However...and there is definitely a “however” there is no underestimating the tremendous appeal of the integration of a truly capable AI assistant with the phone OS. And now they’re allowing most of this functionality to take place on the phone itself instead of offloading it to remote servers, that’s actually pretty significant and worth testing out for some people.

Overall, if early adopters find no significant bugs and drawbacks, even though this phone isn’t exactly a showcase for state of the art components and design, it’s going to be a decent choice especially after discounts are offered and applied.

It’s worth taking a look at. But I can see how it could be a hard sell.

 

[jamezr]

I say this almost every Nexus and Pixel release. The Google team behind these phones, is just a small group of ultra nerds working in the Google basement, with a limited budget to muster up some Frankenstein new phone every year. Some years it's good, other years it's poor, but rarely have they been a grand slam near perfect best phone. Always something missing or not great, where other areas it's great, but overall it's a mixed bag. Battery life for one, has never been a strong point, always just ok, not bad, but not great.

But Google asking these $900+ price points is getting ridiculous for what they offer. The Pixel 4 XL starting at like $749 should be the starting point.

so much truth in your post.... This part made me lol...

The Google team behind these phones, is just a small group of ultra nerds working in the Google basement

 

[cuzo]

I say this almost every Nexus and Pixel release. The Google team behind these phones, is just a small group of ultra nerds working in the Google basement, with a limited budget to muster up some Frankenstein new phone every year. Some years it's good, other years it's poor, but rarely have they been a grand slam near perfect best phone. Always something missing or not great, where other areas it's great, but overall it's a mixed bag. Battery life for one, has never been a strong point, always just ok, not bad, but not great.

But Google asking these $900+ price points is getting ridiculous for what they offer. The Pixel 4 XL starting at like $749 should be the starting point.

I'm thinking the same thing, no way we can continue to give this a pass. I mean, outside of the webforums and guys like Marques and Dieter Both and these professional tech reviewers who regardless of how they really feel about the phone they really can't bash the phone too much due to Google paying them or their hardcore fans turning on them... I really feel like Google is really trolling with the Pixel.

They've been reports of a dim screen, and google doesn't address it. LG and Samsung makes the best screens and google orders the crappy version... Google gives 64 gigs of base storage running "android" and no offense to android here but IOS gets more downloads, better games and usually higher quality apps so I can see why Apple would skimp on storage because they know their apps are very good.

Android isn't in that situation so you can't skimp on space knowing you have inferior apps to your competitor, a reason samsung went 128 base this year... it's common sense...

Samsung knows androids flaws and tries to cover them up, a more apple like GUI? check, more storage due to not so good apps? Check faster wireless charging? check

google is just trolling at this point man, i don't even think they really take this stuff seriously I think they'll cancel the phone division within a few years once they realize pixels just don't sell like that.

 

[JPNFRK7]

Stopped by Bestbuy this morning and found a Pixel 4xl on display that they had just put out. The guys there didnt even know what it was about and the guy was trying to sell me on an iPhone. Display brightness was nice indoors. That 90hrz screen is pretty damn good. The screen is also much brighter in person than the picture makes it out to be. Didnt try the camera since that is predictable. Picking up the phone from the demo cradle and the phone springs to life when the screen has been off. The matte black edges feel nice and the phone definitely has a premium feel. It seems light even with the tether holding it to the display. Overall, i've slept on it and im going to give it a shot.

 

[Tig Bitties]

I miss these days, the golden years of smartphones; with uber tech journalist Joshua Topolsky, discussing phones Google Design chief Matias Duarte

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www.theverge.com

 

[JPNFRK7]

Just stopped by Verizon and they had the 4 and 4xl out. Obviously same stuff from my last post. But the regular 4 was in white. It looks nice and makes me want to switch colors but Ill hold out on the Orange. The regular 4 has the exact same footprint as my Pixel 2 other than the screen fills in the bezels. Overall the top forehead is not as big as online pictures make it seem. Reviewers were right that these phones do look better in person. I obviously can only do so much in the store with the tether.

 

[drinkingtea]

You’re not trolling. The funny thing is that even we Pixel fans are saying the same things. My husband is so fond of his 3XL he doesn’t want to trade it in, but he says a lot of the same things you’re saying. Almost word for word for some of the things you pointed out like the call screening feature.

That’s why when @drinkingtea was soliciting opinions and input on a good phone to get as a student, I cautioned against a Pixel 4.


However...and there is definitely a “however” there is no underestimating the tremendous appeal of the integration of a truly capable AI assistant with the phone OS. And now they’re allowing most of this functionality to take place on the phone itself instead of offloading it to remote servers, that’s actually pretty significant and worth testing out for some people.

Overall, if early adopters find no significant bugs and drawbacks, even though this phone isn’t exactly a showcase for state of the art components and design, it’s going to be a decent choice especially after discounts are offered and applied.

It’s worth taking a look at. But I can see how it could be a hard sell.

It’s really sad that I’ll probably never own a Pixel because Google refuses to make a proper, reliable phone. At this point, I’m convinced Google employees do not use or own a Pixel. I’ve heard that a lot of Google employees are seen using iPhones on the Google campus. Even they don’t want to use a Pixel (full-time). Google could have such a hit almost equivalent to the iPhone if they at least tried. They have the money and the resources to do so, but for some reason, they just DGAF. It speaks volumes about the company and its work ethic and customer appreciation.

I’ll check out the phone at Best Buy anyway, but I’ll continue saving up for the 11 Pro.

 

[JPNFRK7]

One last thing I will add. I saw on another forum that if you sign up for Google One before ordering the Pixel 4 you receive 3-10% back in google store credit. I went with the 2TB option which gives 10% back for $10/month. With this Ill get $100 store credit plus $90 for the 10% back. Worth the $10 investment to get $90 back.

 

[jamezr]

Just stopped by Verizon and they had the 4 and 4xl out. Obviously same stuff from my last post. But the regular 4 was in white. It looks nice and makes me want to switch colors but Ill hold out on the Orange. The regular 4 has the exact same footprint as my Pixel 2 other than the screen fills in the bezels. Overall the top forehead is not as big as online pictures make it seem. Reviewers were right that these phones do look better in person. I obviously can only do so much in the store with the tether.

I have read and seen a few posts and videos of people that have said the same above.
They say it is better in person.

 

[Tig Bitties]

My Pixel 3 L gets mediocre battery life, and it upsets me. Sure it lasts an entire workday, but come dinnertime, I need to be watchful of battery, if I am going home, then no big deal, I'll throw it on the charge, but it's still annoying needing to do that as soon as I get home. But if I have plans to go out on a Friday night, I really need to make sure I charge to before leaving the office, otherwise I'm screwed once out and no convenient way to charge it.

Yes of course I can carry a charger brick with me, but that's just a pain. And no my battery never actually dies on me daily, never, but it does get into the 15% to 20% range quite often in the late evening. Or heavy use days it will be in the single digits by bedtime on battery saver mode. And I have to make sure the phone is charging over night, and 100% when I leave in the morning, to squeeze everything out of it.

On something like an iPhone 11 Pro Max, those problems, I guess, just aren't there? If you leave the house in the morning with 70% battery, you'll still be plenty fine the entire day and night. Or going out on a Friday night with a 11 Pro Max, I assume there's zero worry of battery going dead?

I would just like Google to offer me something like that, and not have to babysit my phone's battery.

 

[oVerboost]

My initial reaction was "meh" but having thought about it: is this Googles iphone?

Top of class screen
Top of the class camera
Top of the class assistant
Fastest secure face unlock

I actually like the look of the build. Forehead is necessary to house the sensors and they decided to not have a notch. If you can get past that I think this probably every bit as good as the iphone. Maybe better with the onboard assistant.

Battery life is a concern but it has fast charge.

It's also a shame Google haven't made a smart watch to compliment the phone.

It may have the fastest face unlock, it certainly isn’t secure! Can be opened with eyes shut (asleep etc).

 

[michael9891]

It may have the fastest face unlock, it certainly isn’t secure! Can be opened with eyes shut (asleep etc).

Links?

 

[jimmy_uk]

It may have the fastest face unlock, it certainly isn’t secure! Can be opened with eyes shut (asleep etc).

Oh damn!

https://9to5google.com/2019/10/16/pixel-4-tidbits-face-unlock-security/

"A support page from Google details some of the benefits of this face unlock system on the Pixel 4 such as being able to unlock from any orientation. However, the security of the Pixel 4’s face unlock is a little bit questionable.

A thread on Twitter reveals that the face unlock system can be used even if the recognized face is asleep or even if they’re dead. This applies even for payments on the Play Store. We were able to dig into the Pixel 4’s settings to see if there was a setting to require a blink or some form of activity to authenticate the face, but there isn’t. It could be that this is an intentional move by Google to speed up the system as a whole."

 

[JPNFRK7]

My Pixel 3 L gets mediocre battery life, and it upsets me. Sure it lasts an entire workday, but come dinnertime, I need to be watchful of battery, if I am going home, then no big deal, I'll throw it on the charge, but it's still annoying needing to do that as soon as I get home. But if I have plans to go out on a Friday night, I really need to make sure I charge to before leaving the office, otherwise I'm screwed once out and no convenient way to charge it.

Yes of course I can carry a charger brick with me, but that's just a pain. And no my battery never actually dies on me daily, never, but it does get into the 15% to 20% range quite often in the late evening. Or heavy use days it will be in the single digits by bedtime on battery saver mode. And I have to make sure the phone is charging over night, and 100% when I leave in the morning, to squeeze everything out of it.

On something like an iPhone 11 Pro Max, those problems, I guess, just aren't there? If you leave the house in the morning with 70% battery, you'll still be plenty fine the entire day and night. Or going out on a Friday night with a 11 Pro Max, I assume there's zero worry of battery going dead?

I would just like Google to offer me something like that, and not have to babysit my phone's battery.

My Pixel 2 has just started being this way the last few months. When it was new, I could end up at the end of the day with 30-40% easily. But recently its been in the 10-20% range by 8PM. If I know I'm going out at night, I make it a point to top it off on the charger before I leave the house. Yeah it is annoying but I'm usually looking at my iPad Pro when I get home since I prefer the bigger screen. This allows the phone to sit on the charger a bit and only look at it when a text or something comes in.

 

[AustinIllini]

And spec's aren't the biggest thing, but, for $900+, I want the best, so give it 8GB RAM, SD855+, 256GB size, ditch the radar crap and give us a full screen display without a giant forehead.

It's becoming clear to me on Android the specs do matter, although not when compared to iPhone. The difference between 4 and 8 GB of RAM is like a year of use plus on Android.

 

[Ralfi]

I agree the bezels are fine, but I am a bit concerned that Google is far less interested in keeping up with the big guys on the design front.

To me, it’s not just a design thing - bezels mean you have wasted space where either useable screen could’ve been, or no phone could’ve been (smaller form factor for your hands)...it impacts the user experience as comfort in the hand is hindered. Can also think of it as having an unnecessary case that adds to the height of the phone.

I would’ve much preferred if they beat Apple to a smaller notch, & with 3 symmetrical edges on the sides/bottom.That’s how you implement a secure Face ID system with an efficient screen-body ratio in 2019.

 

[michael9891]

Oh damn!

https://9to5google.com/2019/10/16/pixel-4-tidbits-face-unlock-security/

"A support page from Google details some of the benefits of this face unlock system on the Pixel 4 such as being able to unlock from any orientation. However, the security of the Pixel 4’s face unlock is a little bit questionable.

A thread on Twitter reveals that the face unlock system can be used even if the recognized face is asleep or even if they’re dead. This applies even for payments on the Play Store. We were able to dig into the Pixel 4’s settings to see if there was a setting to require a blink or some form of activity to authenticate the face, but there isn’t. It could be that this is an intentional move by Google to speed up the system as a whole."

If that's accurate, that tells me Google aren't concerned with your eyes. Which are surely the most important part of facial recognition? Might be a problem.

 

[drinkingtea]

If that's accurate, that tells me Google aren't concerned with your eyes. Which are surely the most important part of facial recognition? Might be a problem.

There’s an option to only allow Face ID to work while eyes are open. The option is shown in a few of the Pixel videos on YouTube. I don’t remember which videos exactly, but the option is there.

 

[Ralfi]

There’s an option to only allow Face ID to work while eyes are open. The option is shown in a few of the Pixel videos on YouTube. I don’t remember which videos exactly, but the option is there.

There has to be.

Like Apple’s “Require attention for Face ID” setting. It’s a non-negotiable setting that must be enabled on a Face ID phone.

 

[mi7chy]

A thread on Twitter reveals that the face unlock system can be used even if the recognized face is asleep or even if they’re dead.

People have passed away with eyes open so that's irrelevant.

 

[co.ag.2005]

One last thing I will add. I saw on another forum that if you sign up for Google One before ordering the Pixel 4 you receive 3-10% back in google store credit. I went with the 2TB option which gives 10% back for $10/month. With this Ill get $100 store credit plus $90 for the 10% back. Worth the $10 investment to get $90 back.

interesting. do you have a link to the source? I've been a google one subscriber for a little while now, so I'd be curious what this is about.
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Oh damn!

https://9to5google.com/2019/10/16/pixel-4-tidbits-face-unlock-security/

"A support page from Google details some of the benefits of this face unlock system on the Pixel 4 such as being able to unlock from any orientation. However, the security of the Pixel 4’s face unlock is a little bit questionable.

A thread on Twitter reveals that the face unlock system can be used even if the recognized face is asleep or even if they’re dead. This applies even for payments on the Play Store. We were able to dig into the Pixel 4’s settings to see if there was a setting to require a blink or some form of activity to authenticate the face, but there isn’t. It could be that this is an intentional move by Google to speed up the system as a whole."

edit: nevermind, I saw somewhere else that there is a setting to turn this off? meaning, you have to have eyes open to unlock. Maybe similar to the "require attention for Face ID" for iOS devices?