A smartphone with SLR camera ambitions. Google presents its latest phone creation, which makes photography its strong point
Not a hint about the technical features and performance, screen size or hardware components. On the other hand, the Pixel 4 was probably the smartphone with the most leaks in the history of mobile phones (some even by Google itself) and its data sheet was known for days, if not weeks.
No wonder, then, if during the event Made by Google 2019 of the Pixel 4 was actually spoken very little. The space only dedicated to pitting technical specifications of the phone and its performance, in fact, was entirely devoted to the photographic capabilities of the Pixel 4, a sign that the parts of Mountain View are particularly proud of the work done at the level of photographic software. As highlighted during the presentation, in fact, the photographic capabilities of a smartphone are now closely linked to the capabilities of the photo software integrated into the memory: without adequate machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms, in fact, even the best photo sensors can do very little.
In short, what Google has put on sale today (on pre-order, to be precise, with shipping starting October 26) is first and foremost a camera phone: a digital camera (in some ways with better features than those of an SLR) equipped with features typical of a last-generation phone.
Pixel 4 and Pixel 4XL data sheet
As known for days now, the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4XL are in fact identical. The only differences are in terms of screen size and resolution (5.7 inches diagonal and FHD+ resolution the first, 6.3 inches diagonal and QHD+ resolution the second) and battery capacity (2,800 mAh for the first, 3,700 mAh the second). Otherwise, the technical specifications of the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4XL are the same.
Under the display we find the Snapdragon 855 with 6 gigabytes of RAM and 64 or 128 gigabytes of memory dedicated to data storage. Thanks to the support of Google Photos, all images and videos can be stored for free in Big G’s cloud, thus freeing up space on the device’s memory. Alongside the “usual” Snapdragon, moreover, we find two chips dedicated to the processing of photographic artificial intelligence algorithms (the Pixel Neural Core) and the encryption and protection of data in memory (the Titan M).
In the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4XL, moreover, finds space Soli, a real radar that the technicians of the Mountain View house have integrated right next to the front camera. This small sensor is able to detect objects in the vicinity of the device and “activate” on command some sensors of the mobile device made in Google. Thanks to Soli, for example, the Pixel 4’s facial unlock system is the fastest in the world; at the same time, Soli will be used to control the device with advanced gestures.
Pixel 4, open doors to computational photography
As mentioned, however, the real strength of the Pixel 4 is its photographic compartment. And not so much (or not only) for the sensors mounted. The system from a dual sensor: the main 12-megapixel with aperture f/1.7, optical stabilization and a field of view of 77 °; the secondary is a 16-megapixel telezoom with aperture f/2.4, optical stabilization and field of view of 52 °.
But, as happens more and more often, the technical specifications of the sensors are now a marginal part of the photographic compartment of smartphones. Big G’s engineers and developers have been working extensively on machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms that can improve every shot taken with the Pixel 4. The smartphone makes extensive use of what has been defined as “computational photography”, which uses ad hoc chips and algorithms to recognize objects or people in a shot so as to automatically adapt the various parameters of the shot. Computational photography, however, also makes its presence felt in the post-production phase, when the algorithms work to combine the various frames taken and obtain the best possible result.
Night mode, for example, has been improved with the introduction of astrophotography. Star and planet enthusiasts will thus be able to use their Pixel 4 to take perfect, or almost perfect, starry sky photos.
Pixel 4 and Pixel 4XL, prices and UK availability
As mentioned, the two new Pixels can be pre-ordered as early as today, with shipping in the coming weeks. The price of the Pixel 4 is 759 euros for the 64 gigabyte version; the price of the Pixel 4XL is 899 euros for the 64 gigabyte version.