Pixel 4: 6 Things Google Must Do To Beat The iPhone 11 And The Galaxy S10

October 15, Google will officially unveil the Pixel 4 and 4 XL. This is an opportunity for Google to take the lead, especially since Apple has taken the lead. iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max phones for 2019 and Samsung is well on sale its gazillion versions of the Galaxy S10 and Rating 10 More Telephone (s.

Because the Pixel 4 will serve as Google's ultimate take on its Android OS, which is also the most popular operating system in the world, the phone must stay above its rivals. But the competition is fierce – the iPhone 11 has a great camera with a new ultra-wide-angle lens and the S10 is packed with useful features such as a long battery life and a two-sided charge.

Knowing everything we knew about iPhone 11 and Galaxy S10 phones, as well as Google's information about Pixel 4 before launch, we have a better idea of ​​what the company needs to do to make its next flagship product remains competitive. and stay ahead of the curve. These are the features that the Pixel 4 must have success.

Better night vision

One of the most fascinating features of Pixel 3 is its Night Sight mode. At that time, the camera mode was a little magical: it was able to brighten and take clear pictures of some of the darkest and darkest scenes I've ever tested.

Although this is impressive, other phone manufacturers have begun to catch up. The OnePlus 7 Pro has its own Nightscape mode that can sometimes capture poorly lit images better than the Pixel. Apple has also made its entry into the game by adding night mode to its trio of iPhone 11 phones. Although we have not compared it to Pixel 3, the night mode of the iPhone 11 takes pictures impressive until now. If Google does not improve Night Sight, it will become part of the status quo instead of the pure edge. According to the official images of Google, we know that the Pixel 4 will have several rear cameras. The new configuration may improve even more the night vision.

Best video recording

As mentioned above, we love how the Pixel 3 handles photos and it's the best all-purpose camera for still images. But when it comes to video, the pixel is missing. During our video shootings between the Pixel 3 and the iPhone XR and XS, Apple's iPhones have beaten it, hands down.

In low light, the Pixel 3 did not maintain the focus also and its transitions between different light exposures were not so fluid. This means that videos shot in the dark, for example in a bar or a concert, have a much better appearance on the iPhone. The Pixel 3's fusing video stabilization system may seem surreal and drone, which is not a huge problem, but the slight Jell-O-like effect with every movement of the camera may seem unnatural.

For slow motion recording, the Pixel 3 can only shoot in 720p and record a 4K video at 30 frames per second. However, iPhones can record slow motion in 1080p (so that video is sharper) and 4K at 60 frames per second (which is more fluid). And while the three phones record in stereo, we found that the audio on both iPhones was richer and more complete.

If the Pixel 4 wants to remain competitive with the iPhone, it must raise its own goals in video recording. This means that it has to improve the audio quality, record with low brightness and increase its resolution options and frame rate.

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More storage, please

For Pixel owners, Google offers unlimited storage in Google Photos at the original resolutions for Pixel owners, but the Pixel 4 should always come with more internal storage. Last year's Pixel phones only had 64GB and 128GB capacity, with no possibility of expansion. At a time when there are many games and popular applications with high graphics intensity and where people take tons of photos and record videos (sometimes in 4K!), Having more embedded memory is not just a advantage, it becomes a necessity. Not that everyone is comfortable with recording their content on a digital cloud.

Pixel 4 is not the only phone that could benefit. The editor of CNET, Eli Blumenthal, believes that Apple should happen completely from a base model iPhone of 64 GB: "Not only 128GB is now the standard among the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro rivals as the Samsung Galaxy S10 and Note 10 lines or OnePlus 7 Pro, but the higher capacity has become the baseline for cheaper mid-range peripherals. The new Motorola One Zoom, which costs $ 450, starts at 128 GB. "

If Google wants to stay ahead of Apple and be as competitive as Samsung, OnePlus and Motorola, it needs to increase Pixel 4 storage or add expandable memory.

Secure & # 39; Face ID & # 39;

Despite the fact that Google boasts Pixel 4 facial recognition tool in a promotional advertisementwe do not know much about what functionality is able to do. But if Google wants to compete Apple's facial identity, the feature must be private and secure. Indeed, Face ID can allow digital payments, which is not very common despite the fact that many Android phones have a form of facial scan. We hope that in addition to unlocking your phone's home screen, Google's face unlock is secure enough to be used for payments as well.

Long battery life to compete with the Galaxy S10

Last year, the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL tests lasted an average of 15 hours and about 16 hours and 49 minutes, respectively, in our battery tests for streaming video in airplane mode. Although these numbers are objectively high and both phones can survive a full day of no-load work, no problem, Galaxy phones often outpace their rivals in terms of battery life.

This time, the Galaxy S10 and the Galaxy S10 Plus have respectively 18 and 21 hours. All this juice is useful when you use your phone all day without a charger – and it is also useful when Galaxy phones directly charge other accessories. We are not saying that the Pixel 4 should have a two-way charge, but a fantastic battery life would make it even more competitive.

Read more: Phones with the best battery life

Cheaper price or competitive recovery policy

At launch, the Pixel 3 started at 799 USD, 739 GBP and 1199 AUD and the Pixel 3 XL at 899 USD, 869 GBP and 1349 AUD. If Google bets on the same price, the Pixel 4 will be cheaper than the iPhone 11 Pro at $ 999 and the Galaxy S10 at $ 900. However, Apple and Samsung now have phones from the same family that are cheaper: the iPhone 11 costs $ 699 and the Galaxy S10E, $ 750.

Google has a mid-range line that was launched this year. The Pixel 3A costs $ 399 and the XL 3, $ 479 – far less than all the aforementioned phones. But if people want something new and affordable at first, Google makes us wait for the Pixel 4A (supposed) until next year. A better strategy would be to start by making Pixel 4 more affordable.

If this is not possible, an aggressive recovery policy with its online store and its operator partners is a viable solution. In addition to the various discounts and gift card specials for the iPhone 11 available, for example, the American operator T-Mobile, proposes half of the iPhone 11 to current customers. Verizon customers can save up to 700 dollars with an exchange and Apple offers up to $ 600 if you put back an older device.

Google offers a recovery program for Pixel phones, but the maximum you can recover is $ 400. And as if that were not enough, Samsung's rival phone maker offered the full amount of money if you swapped a pixel for a Galaxy. Yuck.