The first batch of Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL reviews are out and they are not that good. While the Pixel 4 has been praised for its excellent camera, smooth performance, and great display. However, the phone’s battery life is abysmal and Motion Sense — the Soli-based motion gestures — have been panned for being gimmicky in nature.
The new Face unlock in the Pixel 4 series has been praised for being extremely fast, but there’s a catch with it as well. Apart from working even when your eyes are closed, it also does not work with third-party apps right now. All apps that support fingerprint lock will not work with Pixel 4’s face unlock feature unless they are explicitly updated for it. The fault here lies with developers since they are using an older API but for now, its an issue that Pixel 4 owners will have to face.
Google Pixel 4 Review Roundup
The Verge
You can use Motion Sense to change tracks on the Pixel 4 but is it really useful? The still camera performance might be impressive but the video performance is not. Once I figured out that it requires a clean sweep across the entire top of the phone, though, I really liked using it. As I’m sitting here right now typing on my laptop, I can simply swing my left hand out quickly to skip tracks without having to look for the right button.
Android Central
… Finally, Google continues to miss the boat on video. It disappoints on the spec sheet, where it maxes out at 4K at 30FPS, but it also disappoints in use, where the video it produces is passable but not remarkable. Apple is far ahead here, but Samsung and several other Android makers aren’t much behind. I know there are only so many things a company can focus on improving year-over-year, but at some point Google needs to move video to the top of that priority list. On the build quality: On the new Soli-based Motion Gestures: Face unlock in third-party apps: The biggest issue with the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL is the battery life: The Pixel 4 redeems itself based on its camera performance… …but are you going to use a smartphone just for its camera performance?
Android Authority
I think this part of the review nails it what I feel about the Pixel 4. Mixed opinions on Motion Sense: In this day and age where every smartphone is focusing on battery life, Google went the other way around: The camera is once again the highlight of the Pixel series: Its clear that the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are not the best Android smartphones out there. While they do deliver on a lot of front, the poor battery life, sub-par video recording, limited storage and RAM, and other compromises mean most users are better off buying a Galaxy S10 or OnePlus 7T/Pro as they are a better package overall.
