Google’s Pixel smartphones have always been defined by iPhone-beating cameras, backed by the know-how of its software coders. With the release of the Pixel 4, however, the company has lost its lead — through a combination of Apple Inc.’s iPhone 11 camera improvements and its own lack of progress.
Alphabet Inc.’s Google is selling the Pixel 4 through all four major U.S. wireless carriers for the first time. And it’s priced like a premium device: the 5.7-inch Pixel 4 starts at $799 and the 6.3-inch Pixel 4 XL costs $899. That’s at least $100 more than the iPhone 11 but without software like iMessage that many Apple users consider a social imperative in the U.S.
With the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro, Apple closed the photography gap with better low-light image quality. Its camera software also makes those photos easier to take by automatically enabling night mode when required. Apple remains way ahead of any other phone maker when it comes to video quality.
Both Pixel 4 devices have worse battery life than their 2018 predecessors, and both dramatically lag comparable iPhone 11 models.
Google’s longer-term aspirations for its smartphone line remain unclear, more than three years into the initiative.
MacDailyNews Take: Well now, there’s a nice, honest review. How refreshing!
Google’s Pixel 4. Inferior cameras. No iMessage. Slower processor. Poor battery life. Flop.
It’s only a matter of time before Google loses interest and unceremoniously pulls the plug as usual.