One of the biggest debates of all times is which smartphone is the best. Every great phone is succeeded by a better one and the thirst for the ultimate dream phone is never quenched. We've already seen some interesting phones from brands like Samsung and Huawei, but there's a lot of excitement waiting towards the end of 2019.
Apple is going to unveil its iPhone 11 series, Samsung will launch the Galaxy Note 10, Huawei will bring the Mate 30 Pro and Google is going to make it big with its Pixel 4 in the months to come. While there have been several leaks and rumours about all these devices, Google stepped up and revealed the first look of its Pixel 4 and the surprise move got everyone's attention.
Google Pixel 3 series will be succeeded by Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL this year. For the first time ever, Google will go with more than one camera sensor for the primary setup whereas rivals Apple, Samsung, Huawei and every other brand have already left the single camera setup far behind. But even in 2018, Google managed to give its rivals a tough run for the money in terms of camera performance and Pixel 3 XL is still considered one of the best camera phones out there.
Google proved it's not all about the hardware. Manufacturers can slap 3-5 cameras in a single phone and still lag behind a single camera with a solid software optimisation of images. But 2019 is the year, Google wants to take the multiple-lens approach and we can only imagine how great a camera phone Pixel 4 will turn out to be.
When Google tweeted out that image of Pixel 4's rear design, fans couldn't contain their excitement. The image showed dual cameras within a square module, which also contains LED flash and a mystery sensor, which some reports suggest could be for laser autofocus or a spectral sensor. The leaked image also confirmed two main things - the missing fingerprint scanner and dual-tone finish with glass on top.
With improved hardware and software to enhance the image quality, Google Pixel 4 series is poised to deliver superior results. It won't be surprising to see even the best camera flagships surrender to this camera beast at launch. If the camera is all you're looking for, Pixel 4 will ultimately satisfy your needs.
But given the early prospects, Google might be looking beyond camera for its Pixel 4 series this year. Especially the design of the Pixel 4 is turning out to be impressive. It is one area where Google has lagged behind its rivals and if the front design of the Pixel 4 is as good as the rear, there will be little to criticise about the phone.
The notch in the Pixel 3 XL and the bezels around the display had been major turn-offs. If rumours are to be believed, Google might either go with a punch-hole display or have a sleek bezel on top to accommodate cameras and advanced facial recognition tech. Either way, Pixel 4 will look a whole lot different than the current Pixels.
Performance-wise, the latest Snapdragon 855 chipset with stock Android Q is in order. The Pixel 3 series was excellent in terms of performance and there's little doubt there will be any compromise in this area in the upcoming flagship.
The only concern, though, is the slow charging speeds. Google must really (really) up its game in the charging speed and offer at least 40W fast charging support (30W also works fine). This will make the Pixel 4 a complete flagship and Google might finally be able to turn the sales around.
