Looking for a new Android phone? If you’ve been using the Samsung Galaxy line, you may be thinking you’ll just upgrade to the Galaxy S10. But before you do, consider Google’s Pixel 4 (or, if you’re price-conscious, the Pixel 3).
It’s just as dependable as the super-reliable Samsung phones but offers some nice additional benefits. One of the most obvious in comparison to Samsung phones is up-to-the-minute Android updates. Plus, even if you’re not a software developer, you’ll like the flexibility offered when you activate the Developer Options menu. For more on why you might want to make the Pixel 4 your next phone, read on.
1. Screen Refresh Rate
The Pixel 4 is fast as it uses a 90Hz screen refresh rate that makes gameplay and performing other common tasks a breeze. You can set the phone to always use this rate, or switch it to 60Hz when needed to save battery power.
2. Excellent Camera
The Pixel 4 camera is making waves because of its excellent photo quality. Features include identical main and front-facing cameras. The main camera is dual-lens with optical image stabilization on both lenses. Besides, the quality of those lenses boast an impressive 12.2-megapixel for the wide-angle and 16-megapixel for the telephoto
The telephoto lens provides 2x optical zoom and can go up to 8x with Google’s Super Res Zoom feature. The front camera is a single 8-megapixel lens with a wide view field. With this setup backed by robust software, you can capture great low-light images, portraits, and scenery shots.
3. All Android Updates
With Samsung and other brands, Android updates may be slow to arrive or, depending on how old your phone is, may never arrive at all. Google is the developer of both the Pixel 4 and Android, so you get all updates immediately upon release. This feature ensures better security for the precious data on your phone as well as the latest available features.
4. Google Recorder
This next-generation app captures audio and transcribes it immediately into text. Anyone who conducts interviews, takes classes, or participates in meetings that need to be referenced later will recognize this feature as a major innovation. Once the audio is converted to text, you can easily search for relevant sections.
5. Face Unlock
Tired of punching in numbers and remembering complicated patterns just to access your phone? With the Pixel 4, facial recognition is one method for you to lock and unlock the phone. All you have to do is pick up your phone and hold it in front of your face. The Pixel 4 even senses when you’re near and prepares to unlock, so the whole process is practically instantaneous.
6. Motions
The Motion Sense feature on the Pixel 4 allows you to control your phone without touching it. For example, you can wave your hand to snooze an alarm, turn off a timer, or mute a call. While using a music app, you can wave your hand across the phone to skip to the next song or go back to a previous one.
7. Live Captions
You can enable the Pixel 4 to display captions any time there’s sound on your phone. So, you can mute your phone and discreetly watch YouTube videos without bothering others around you when you don’t have earbuds or headphones. The Live Caption bar pops up automatically when you start playing a video, but you can reposition it or swipe it out of the way if you prefer.
8. Battery Saver
Google’s battery saver enables you to use less power. When the battery saver is on, apps stop doing things in the background and only refresh their content when you look at them. Also, location services stop when your screen is off, the dark theme turns on, and notifications may be delayed.
There are other ways you can save battery power on the Pixel 4, including turning off Motion Sense, car crash detection, and other features. You can have the battery saver turn on automatically upon certain conditions (such as whenever your battery reaches 5%).
9. Google Assistant
The Pixel 4 offers multiple ways to access the Google Assistant, including simply squeezing the sides of the phone. Once you’ve accessed it, you can ask it to place a call, send a text, snap a photo, tell you the weather forecast, and much more. The Continued Conversation feature allows you to interact with Google Assistant in more natural ways, such as asking follow-up questions without having to issue the wake command.
10. Small Size
The Pixel 4 is on the small side with a 5.7-inch screen. This factor may be a weakness rather than a selling point for some. But if you want less electronic bulk in your life, it’s a good choice. Another option if you prefer a larger phone is the Pixel 4 XL, which has a 6.3-inch screen. You also get more battery capacity, more storage, and a higher price tag with the XL.
In Summary
The Pixel 4 may not be for everyone, especially those who need more storage space than the 64 GB or 128 GB upgrade that the Pixel 4 offers. But if storage isn’t an issue, the Pixel 4 is well worth a look for Android users who want an enhanced Android experience.
