T3 - UK (2019-12)

The face scanner is one reason the
top bezel is so large; the other is
Motion Sense, which utilises a tiny
radar packed into the phone to enable
you to skip songs, silence tracks and
more all with a wave of your hand.
We’ve seen this before in various
guises from other manufacturers,
and while Google’s implementation
works pretty well, it has a lot in
common with Samsung and LG’s
stabs at the tech: it’s far from perfect,
and we can’t really imagine using it
very much.
What we can imagine using is the
Recorder app, exclusive to the Pixel 4,

which transcribes spoken audio in

real-time as you record – perfect for

interviews, meetings and lectures.

You can search through your notes

with ease, and even run searches for

‘applause’ or ‘music’. If you’ve ever

used YouTube’s automatic closed

captions, you’ll know Google’s

algorithm can make a stab at

recognising those, too. The Recorder

app works offline if needed, as Google

has managed to embed some

machine-learning AI trickery onto

the device itself.

Speaking of AI, Google Assistant

gets better yet again and should now

be able to respond to queries much

more quickly and with less reliance

on the cloud.

The rest of the specs of the Pixel 4

are rather average, or at least average

in the context of a 2019 flagship

Android phone. It comes with either

64GB or 128GB of storage and there’s

no memory card slot. The Note 10+, by

contrast, maxes out at 512GB, with a

memory card slot. There’s 6GB of

RAM (the OnePlus 7T Pro can carry as

much as 12GB), and a Snapdragon 855

CPU, which has already been bettered

by the Snapdragon 855+. Specs aren’t

everything, of course – Apple’s

APPLE iPHONE 11 PRO

Just about the only smartphone competitor

to the Pixel 4 in the camera game, the 11 Pro

boasts three individual lenses and its own take

on night mode. What’s more, the 11 Pro is

Apple’s most accomplished iPhone to date.

From £1,049, apple.com/uk

ONEPLUS 7T PRO

If slick refresh rates are your jam, OnePlus’

higher resolution panel might just scratch

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aplomb, and its maximum brightness exceeds

that of the Pixel 4 so it’s great to use in sunlight.

£699, oneplus.com

SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE10

Curved glass, a great camera and scads of

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scanner) but it does so while still pouring

extravagance onto the features that matter.

From £869, samsung.com/uk

86 T3 DECEMBER 2019

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PIXEL 4 ALTERNATIVES

Choose between

64GB and 128GB

of storage

SUPER SCREEN

The Pixel 4’s OLED

panel updates (usually)

at 90Hz, meaning

scrolling is incredibly

slick and games which

take advantage of it

can outclass rivals

LIVE HDR

Line up an HDR shot using

either of the rear cameras,

and Google’s trickery will

show you a preview

Te s te d