Google announces its next flagships, the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL

If you’re feeling a sense of déjà vu, you’re not alone.

After a deluge of leaks, Google announced the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL at its Made by Google event in New York City.

In a lot of ways, the new phones resemble past Pixels — the matte, textured back panel, the phone’s function-over-form design, the excellent camera. But the more things stay the same, the more they change.

For one, Google ditched the notch after the controversy around the Pixel 3 XL. Now, both the 4 and 4 XL feature a larger top bezel reminiscent of the one on the Pixel 2 XL or Pixel 3. The bottom bezel and the side bezels are quite small.

Another visual change: Google moved away from the two-tone glass look in favour of a large, square camera bump.

Love it or hate it, the new design is striking while still being undeniably Google.

What’s inside the Pixel 4 and 4 XL

However, more than just the exterior has changed. The Pixel 4 features a slightly bigger 5.7-inch OLED display at 1080 x 2160 pixels compared to the Pixel 3’s 5.5-inch screen. The Pixel 4 XL has a 6.3-inch display. Both phones’ screens offer a 90Hz refresh rate.

Inside, both the Pixel 4 and 4 XL have a Snapdragon 855 and 6GB of RAM. Both come in either 64GB or 128GB storage variants. Finally, the Pixel 4 has a 2,800mAh battery while the 4 XL has a 3,700mAh battery.

The camera, however, is an area of significant change. For the first time, Google has included a second rear camera on a Pixel. It sports a 16-megapixel f/2.4 telephoto shooter with OIS along with a 12.2-megapixel f/1.7 wide-angle lens with OIS.

Around the front, Google opted for one selfie camera this time. However, it made the 8-megapixel, f/2.0 shooter ultra-wide so you can still get those group shots.

However, how much these hardware changes will affect the photo experience remain to be seen.

Android 10, new Assistant and more

Naturally, both devices come running the latest Android 10. However, they sport some extra software features that should improve the experience. For one, the Pixel 4 comes with the next-gen, faster Google Assistant (which won’t come to Canada at launch) and a new face unlock capability powered by hardware.

Further, the Pixel 4 will sport ‘Motion Sense,’ a new feature that recognizes gestures and allows users to skip through music, shush notifications and more with a wave of their hand.

Finally, the Pixel 4 and 4 XL will come in ‘Clearly White,’ ‘Just Black’ and a limited edition ‘Oh So Orange.’ The latter won’t be available in Canada at launch, however.

The Pixel 4 will cost $999 for the 64GB variant and $1,129 for the 128GB model. The Pixel 4 XL costs $1,129 for 64GB and $1,259 for the 128GB model. The prices are the same as last year’s Pixel 3 and 3 XL at launch.

Both the 4 and 4 XL are available for pre-order starting October 15th and will go on sale in Canada on October 24th.