Best Buy starts plugging the upcoming Google Pixel 4 series

Take whatever you know about renders, leaks and rumors and when it comes to the Google Pixel 4 series, throw it all away. Google got our attention back in June; following a series of renders showing a square black camera module on the back of the Pixel 4, Google shared an official photo of the handset confirming that the design was real. That alone was unusual and a month later, Google released a video promoting its new Face unlock and Motion Sense features. The former is a secure facial recognition system that is expected to work no matter the orientation that the phone is being held in. And because it detects when a user is reaching out for the phone, a Pixel owner will be able to pick up the device and have it unlock in one motion. Motion Sense uses Google's Soli radar chips to allow the phone to be controlled using subtle hand gestures.

The Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are supposed to be unveiled sometime early next month, but in another break from tradition big-box electronics retailer Best Buy has already put up a web page to promote the new phones. The teaser mentions that Motion Sense will be available in select countries only (because the Soli chips require approval to transmit over certain frequencies). The feature will be enabled in the U.S., Canada, Singapore, Australia, Taiwan, and most European countries. It won't be available in Japan. The picture on the site is the one taken by Google back in June, and there is a link to the video that was released in July. You can also register your email address with Best Buy to be notified when details of the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL launch are made public.

Based on leaked specs, the Pixel 4 XL will be equipped with a 6.3-inch AMOLED display carrying a resolution of 1440 x 3040. The Pixel 4 will carry a 5.7-inch AMOLED display with a 1080 x 2280 resolution. Both phones will have an aspect ratio of 19:9 and a 90Hz refresh rate; traditional smartphone displays refresh at 60Hz and the faster rate will make game animations fluid while scrolling will be buttery smooth. Both models will be powered by the Snapdragon 855 (no Plus) Mobile Platform. This is one of the downsides to launching a flagship phone so late in the year; just a few months after the Pixels are first released we will see the first Android phones powered by the Snapdragon 865 Mobile Platform. And then the cycle repeats. We could see a 50% hike in memory for the new Pixel 4 series. Since the first Pixel was released in 2016, each model has had 4GB of RAM, even the mid-range Pixel 3a range. But if the rumors are right, the upcoming models will come with 6GB of memory and 64GB/128GB of storage.

For the first time, Google is planning on putting more than one camera on the back of a Pixel. The line is known for taking outstanding photos thanks to the image processing capabilities of the Pixel phones. This year, the Pixel 4 XL could carry a 12MP primary camera, a 16MP telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom and a spectral sensor. The Pixel 4 camera module could include the 12MP and 16MP snappers. A 3700mAh capacity battery will reportedly be inside the Pixel 4 XL while the Pixel 4 might sport a 2800mAh battery. Both phones will be pre-installed with Android 10 and are guaranteed to receive Android 11 next year and Android 12 in 2021.