Google Update, September 19, 2019 (05:35 PM ET): We’ve updated the Pixel 4 rumor hub with another hands-on video, along with leaks of the phone’s camera features and hardware. Check the article below for more information!
When the Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL started leaking last year, it didn’t stop. On top of the usual potato cam photos and pricing information, we saw a Googler leave the handset in a Lyft and someone publish a complete unboxing video well before prime time.
Based on some early leaks, it appears as though this year could be a repeat with the Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. We’re still three-ish months before Google is set to unveil both devices, but we already know what the phones will look like and have an idea of some of their unique features.
Be sure to bookmark this page and come back often for updates!
Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL: Name and release date
After several leaks, Google went ahead and publically shared a render of the Google Pixel 4 (more on this below). With it, the company officially confirmed the handset’s Pixel 4 name. This isn’t too much of a surprise as it follows Google’s smartphone branding (R.I.P. Pixel Ultra).
After a bunch of speculation and leaked dates, we now have full confirmation on the Google Pixel 4 and Google Pixel 4 XL launch date: October 15, 2019. As with last year, the event will take place in New York City.
Google historically hosts its hardware events in October. Last year, the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL were announced on October 9 and then made available for purchase on October 18.
Google went ahead and confirmed the Pixel 4’s name and design months before its launch
We did see that Best Buy already has a page set up for the Google Pixel 4. There’s no information there that we haven’t already seen, but it suggests that we will see the new devices quite soon.
Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL: Design
We got our first look at the Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL when OnLeaks shared CAD renders partway through June. This leak was then, surprisingly, confirmed by Google itself.
Most notably, we learned that the devices would include a rather large camera bump on the back of the phone. This is interesting because it makes the upcoming Pixels look almost identical to leaked renders of the 2019 iPhone.
Read: We asked, you told us: The Pixel 4 / 4 XL is the most anticipated phone of 2019
Up until that point, Google had only teased the rear of the phones, so we didn’t have any confirmed reports of what the front of the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL might look like (that changed later though, see the next section). However, we have seen an early render leak from OnLeaks and information shared by Lew from Unbox Therapy that suggests both the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL will be notch-less with large foreheads and small chins.
On June 14, just days after Google officially confirmed the Pixel 4 design on Twitter, 9to5Google obtained two leaked photos of the Google Pixel 4. There’s not much we can glean from the images themselves, aside from the fact that they line up with Google’s Twitter renders. It also appears to be encased in one of Google’s official fabric cases.
9to5Google’s tipster also got a look at the front of the Pixel 4 and claimed it does indeed have a big forehead on the top, housing at least two front-facing camera sensors. However, they weren’t able to snap a photo.
Later, in July, we saw another “in the wild” shot of a Pixel 4, this time on a subway train in London. Unlike the previous real-world photos, this photo shows what appears to be a Pixel 4 in a case designed to obscure the device’s design.
See for yourself below:
It’s believed Google will drop the dual front-facing speakers but retain an earpiece. In the leaked renders below, you can spot the five sensors that were rumored by Unbox Therapy. These will reportedly be used for a Face ID-like security system as the handsets appear not to have a fingerprint sensor.
On July 8, reliable leaker @OnLeaks pushed out (via PriceBaba) CAD renders of the front of the Pixel 4 XL. Check out those images below:
Later, in July, @OnLeaks (via iGeeksBlog) pushed out CAD renders of the vanilla Google Pixel 4. It looks very similar to the renders above of the Pixel 4 XL, leading us to believe there won’t be much difference between the two variants other than physical size. This is notably different from last year, where the Pixel 3 XL looked very different from the Pixel 3 (hello, bathtub notch).
See the renders of the Pixel 4 below:
We’ve also seen real-world images of an alleged Pixel 4 surface online on August 28 (seen below), courtesy of XDA‘s Mishaal Rahman. Rahman notes that it appeared in a Telegram group, and that he was unable to ascertain the source of the pictures. The pictures show a traditional forehead and what appears to be a multi-camera setup on the rear. For what it’s worth, the Sprint logo is also visible on the device. Check the images out below.
These images of an alleged Google Pixel 4 just started floating around on Telegram. No idea of the true source or if they’re legit. pic.twitter.com/ooPKkDudZA
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) August 27, 2019
At this point, we haven’t heard any completely reliable rumors about the color options that will be available this year. As Google has released its devices in Clearly White alongside Just Black and other accent colors in the past, we can guess two of the upcoming colorways.
We did see some leaked renders of a new color that can only be described as Mint. However, the leaks are dubious:
Kellen Barranger of Droid-Life shared the below Photoshopped render giving us an idea as to what the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL might look like in white. You can decide if you think it looks hot or not.
It looks like another possible third color option is Coral, with pictures of the supposed Coral Pixel 4 first appearing on Weibo in September (via Ben Geskin on Twitter). It’s quite the departure from black and white, and it looks rather interesting:
Not much later after that, we got a hands-on look at the alleged coral Pixel 4 thanks to the YouTube channel Gadget Leaks. This is our first look at the possible coral version of the Pixel 4 on video.
Earlier in September, a short hands-on video leaked of the black Pixel 4, courtesy of Slashleaks. Check it out below:
Not long after that video surfaced, we saw another of the device in a white colorway. Check it out below:
#Google #Pixel4 – Google Pixel 4 exposed now #GooglePixel4
Telegram – https://t.co/O0BSOy31x2 pic.twitter.com/TB0DmHF8Vs
— Yash Raj Chaudhary (@hereYashRaj) September 5, 2019
We also found in-hand images of the alleged Pixel 4 XL in both white and black colorways side by side on Reddit September 10.
You can find the rest of the leaked black and white Pixel 4 images in the linked imgur post here.
There was also a leaked TV ad that detailed a few Pixel 4 features. The video, which lasts for a minute, shows off seamless conversations with the Assistant, as well as hands-free gestures (namely swiping the air to skip music tracks). Other features shown off in the clip include an improved Night Sight mode and a mode to capture the stars. The clip also notes that you’re getting a phone “made the Google way.” Check it out below, via ProAndroid:
Hello Google Pixel 4 🤔🤔🤔🤔 pic.twitter.com/JwS0E7luxN
— Quelian (@Queliansanz26) September 9, 2019
Arguably the two biggest leaks to date were hands-on videos published on YouTube. The videos provided the clearest look at the Pixel 4 to date and gave a look at the phone’s hardware and software. They also highlighted the 90Hz display and a new Ambient EQ display setting.
Just in case you didn’t get enough hands-on videos of the Pixel 4, another one popped up from YouTuber Duy Thẩm. The video doesn’t add much information, but it provides another close look at the camera module and general hardware. The video also shows off the Pixel 4’s Soli-based motion gestures.
In case several hands-on videos weren’t enough, a Weibo user uploaded several images of the Pixel 4. The images show off the Pixel 4’s hardware, including the triple rear camera system, USB-C port, and the display. According to the user, the Pixel 4’s third time-of-flight rear camera isn’t used for imaging.
You can see the images below.
Most recently, a leaked set of over 20 images of the Pixel 4 XL was outed by a Vietnamese mobile store called D Store Mobile. The mobile shop shared the alleged images of the Pixel 4 XL with The Verge.
The images show a white Pixel 4 XL in its entirety, complete with close-ups of the square camera bump, display, settings, and more. D Store claims that this isn’t the final unit of the Pixel 4 XL and that it is likely a “test model.”
Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL: Specs and features
At this time, everything we know for certain about the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL is what we can see from the outside. In other words, we know what Google’s handsets will look like, but we don’t know much about internal specs.
An apparent picture of the Google Pixel 4 XL surfaced in September, showing a hardware-checking app running on the device. And the app shows that the phone is running the Snapdragon 855 processor. So don’t expect the marginally upgraded Snapdragon 855 Plus then. Check out the image below:
Unfortunately, we don’t have any information about battery size. We also don’t expect Google to bring back the headphone jack (the renders above back this up).
It has long been rumored that Google is working on face recognition software as a form of biometric security. We got a glance at the feature in the fourth Android Q beta. According to Unbox Therapy, both Pixel 4 handsets will include five front-facing image sensors for a Face ID-like system.
Taking us by surprise once again, Google actually went ahead and confirmed that rumor by showing us a teaser video that tells us all about this new feature as well as some other new info:
The video shows how the front-facing sensors will include a radar sensor which will add hands-free gestures to the phones. This is the outcome of Google’s previously-rumored Project Soli.
Google also gave a diagram showing all the front-facing sensors on the device:
One thing the image above suggests is that the dual-lens selfie cameras we saw on the Pixel 3 lineup won’t return with the Pixel 4 lineup. It’s possible we’re wrong and there is a second sensor somewhere on the front that Google isn’t showing us. It’s also possible that the image above is the Pixel 4 and that the Pixel 4XL — which is larger in size — has room for that second sensor.
Outside of the front-facing sensors, we also know for certain that the Pixel 4 lineup will, for the first time, feature multiple rear camera lenses. We’ve seen rumors to suggest that one of those sensors could be a 16MP telephoto lens.
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We do also have a few rumors about RAM. One of the biggest weaknesses of last year’s Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL was the fact that each phone only had 4GB of RAM. Just about everyone can agree that Google needs to step it up and include at least 6GB of RAM. Luckily, we have plenty of rumors to suggest this will be the case and both Pixel 4 devices will come with 6GB of RAM.
Here’s one rumor we have, and here’s another, and another, and another. All these sources suggesting that 6GB of RAM is what’s happening leads us to believe that that’s what’s happening.
The same source for one of the RAM rumors above suggests that there will be slight bumps for the display resolutions on the Pixel 4 phones. The Pixel 4’s display resolution could be 2,280 x 1,080, as compared to the Pixel 3, which had a 2,160 x 1,080 resolution. Meanwhile, the larger Pixel 4 XL could have a resolution of 3,040 x 1,440, a slight upgrade over the 2,960 x 1,440 resolution on the Pixel 3 XL. In fact, one source also suggests the 3,040 x 1,440 resolution but adds that it’ll be a 6.23-inch size compared to the Pixel 3 XL’s 6.3-inch panel.
Another interesting rumor we’ve seen a few times now is the possibility of the Pixel 4 series sporting a 90Hz display refresh rate, as we’ve seen on the OnePlus 7 Pro. This would be great news, as the 90Hz refresh rate is a big hit with consumers so far.
The back of the Google Pixel 3, showing the camera.
Backing up the claims of a higher refresh rate, images posted on Weibo explicitly state the display’s 90Hz refresh rate. The images also reportedly confirm the Pixel 4’s Snapdragon 855 processor and 6GB of RAM.
More significantly, the images supposedly provide a first look at the Face Unlock UI. There’s mention of the feature working with regular glasses and “light sunglasses.” There’s also mention of facial recognition data stored locally and the ability to delete the data.
Finally, there’s mention of family members being able to unlock the Pixel 4 and something about a requirement for eye movement. Some of that could have been lost in translation, so take the aforementioned information with a grain of salt.
We also got an alleged first look at the Pixel 4’s Motion Sense feature through YouTube channel This in Tech Today. The video shows off the Pixel 4’s Quick Gestures for skipping songs and silencing interruptions, including alarms and calls. There’s also a gesture to check the time, notifications, and other information.
As far as the Pixel camera goes, we are certain it will come with two rear sensors. We’ve also heard rumors that suggest a few new features could be on the way, including 8x zoom, improved Night Sight, and a new feature called Motion Mode.
An XDA-Developers forum member also uncovered references to several upcoming features in the Google Camera app. These upcoming features include Audio Zoom, Live HDR (previewing HDR in the viewfinder), and Mesh Warp. The latter could be related to an algorithm for wide-angle selfies, reducing instances of people’s faces being warped.
According to XDA-Developers, we could see a True Tone-like feature for automatic white balance adjustments. The publication found a placeholder for a “Display white balance” toggle that could enable something similar to what’s found on several Apple devices. It would allow the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL’s displays to adjust based on the surrounding environment’s lighting.
Later, XDA-Developers discussed the upcoming version of the Google Camera app and the Pixel 4’s camera features more in-depth.
The camera interface will receive a pretty big design overhaul. The Google Camera interface should also include new features like recording a video for as long as you hold the shutter button in the camera mode, a new coaching feature for tips on taking better pictures, suggestions in the time lapse mode, tweaked zoom and exposure sliders, and a horizon leveling circle.
The leaks also feature the new Motion Mode and the updated Night Mode that supports astrophotography. The camera will use the Pixel 4’s GPU to track down the stars in the sky and brighten them. You can read about the rest of the alleged upcoming camera features in our camera overview.
We also got a first-hand look at the Pixel 4’s video recording performance thanks to YouTuber ReLab.
Video performance was pretty bad with the Pixel 4. Audio quality is markedly worse than the Galaxy Note 10 Plus, with the Pixel’s color science strongly leaning toward the warmer part of the spectrum. But, it’s still too early to tell how representative this will be of the final product.
ReLab also went on to show us a little about the phone’s gaming performance.
In the video, PUBG Mobile is running without a single hiccup on the Pixel 4. The display’s 90Hz refresh rate is likely helping with the smoothness, though the beefy processor also plays a role in the performance.
As for the Soli radar chip, Google already confirmed the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL features the sensor. That said, Android Police reported the two phones possibly visited the FCC with approval to transmit in the 58 to 63.5GHz spectrum. Since Project Soli uses the same spectrum, that lends credence to the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL swinging by the FCC.
| Google Pixel 4 (Rumored) | Google Pixel 4 XL (Rumored) | |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 2,280 x 1,080 | 3,040 x 1,440 |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 |
| GPU | N/A | N/A |
| RAM | 6GB | 6GB |
| Storage | N/A No microSD slot | N/A No microSD slot |
| Cameras (rear) | Two camera sensors Spectral sensor | Two camera sensors Spectral sensor |
| Cameras (front) | Five imaging units for camera and face recognition security system | Five imaging units for camera and face recognition security system |
| Headphone jack | No | No |
| Battery | mAh N/A Wireless charging | mAh N/A Wireless charging |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Other features | Project Soli radar sensor for hands-free gestures | Project Soli radar sensor for hands-free gestures |
| Software version | Android 10 Q | Android 10 Q |
| Colors | Black | Black |
| Dimensions and weight | N/A | N/A |
According to a new Best Buy listing, the Pixel 4’s Soli sensors will be supported in the U.S., Canada, Singapore, Australia, Taiwan, and “most European countries.” Unfortunately, it won’t work in Japan, though we aren’t entirely sure why. Check out the article for more details.
Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL: Price
At this time, pricing for the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL hasn’t leaked or been teased by Google. This is information that typically shows up online closer to a handset’s release when retailers are ramping up to start selling the new hardware.
One thing to note is the increase in price between 2017’s Pixel 2 devices and 2018’s Pixel 3 smartphones. Google surprised us all by raising the price by $150 year over year.
Here is the official pricing for the Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL in addition to this year’s budget options:
Starting at $800, Google raised the price ceiling last fall for anyone looking to purchase a Pixel. But with the release of the budget-friendly Pixel 3a line, the company made it easier for customers to get one of the best smartphone cameras on the market.
According to a Weibo user, the Pixel 4 could cost five thousand or six thousand yuan (~$706 to $848). That would put the Pixel 4 in line with the Pixel 3’s launch price.
That’s all we’ve got for Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL rumors for now. Let us know in the comments whether or not you’re excited about this phone!
Read next: Google Pixel 3 revisited: What’s held up and what hasn’t after five months