44 TECH ADVISOR • FEBRUARY 2020REVIEW
anything. That’s simply unacceptable for a major feature
on a thousand-pound phone.
Elsewhere, the Pixel 4 XL serves as a showcase for
Android 10’s newest features, most notably dark mode
and gesture navigation. Pixel users will be somewhat
familiar with Android’s gestures, but it’s a bit different
here, with the pill and back buttons replaced with an
iOS-style action bar. It’s a little and clunky and not
nearly as intuitive as it is on the iPhone, particularly
when it comes to the back gesture. You’re supposed to
be able to swipe from the left or right edge to go back
a screen, but sometimes menus get in the way. All in all,
it still needs work. Dark mode, on the other hand, is far
more refined, with nearly every Google app and system
screen supporting it.
But my favourite feature is Live Caption. When
it’s turned on, any video from any source will
automatically transcribe captions based on what’s
playing, and it’s surprisingly spot on most of the time.
The same goes for the excellent new Recorder app,
which will record and transcribe the words it hears.
Neither is perfect, but they’re both incredibly useful
and sure to improve quickly thanks to a healthy dose
of machine learning and AI smarts. I assume both of
these features will eventually be available on other
Pixel and Android phones, but for now they’re exclusive
to the Pixel 4 XL.Performance
Strip away the new features, and the Pixel 4 XL trails its
peer a bit on the spec sheet, with the RAM, storage,
and battery all on the skimpy side:44 TECH ADVISOR • FEBRUARY 2020REVIEW
anything. That’s simply unacceptable for a major feature
on a thousand-pound phone.
Elsewhere, the Pixel 4 XL serves as a showcase for
Android 10’s newest features, most notably dark mode
and gesture navigation. Pixel users will be somewhat
familiar with Android’s gestures, but it’s a bit different
here, with the pill and back buttons replaced with an
iOS-style action bar. It’s a little and clunky and not
nearly as intuitive as it is on the iPhone, particularly
when it comes to the back gesture. You’re supposed to
be able to swipe from the left or right edge to go back
a screen, but sometimes menus get in the way. All in all,
it stillneedswork.Darkmode,ontheotherhand,is far
morerefined,withnearlyeveryGoogleappand system
screen supporting it.
Butmyfavouritefeatureis LiveCaption.When
it’sturned on, any video from any source will
automatically transcribe captions based on what’s
playing, and it’s surprisingly spot on most of the time.
The same goes for the excellent new Recorder app,
which will record and transcribe the words it hears.
Neither is perfect, but they’re both incredibly useful
andsuretoimprovequicklythankstoa healthydose
ofmachine learning and AI smarts. I assume both of
thesefeatureswilleventuallybeavailableonother
Pixeland Android phones, but for now they’re exclusive
to the Pixel 4 XL.Performance
Strip away the new features, and the Pixel 4 XL trails its
peer a bit on the spec sheet, with the RAM, storage,
and battery all on the skimpy side: