Could This Be The Google Pixel 4?

Damien McFerran 25/03/2019 – 8:07am

Renders based on leaked CAD drawings surface

While many people can't wait to see what the likes of Samsung, LG and Apple had up their sleeves each year, Android purists only have eyes for Google. The company's range of phones – which began with the Nexus series and these days comes under the Pixel banner – combine cutting-edge tech with decent pricing, and last year's Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL were no exception.

The standard Pixel 3 was particularly good value, offering powerful internals with a pocket-friendly design and fantastic camera, all for the same price as an iPhone XR. Sure, there were issues with the screen (issues which still haven't been fixed), but as a handset, it was a real success.

With that in mind, it's easy to see why so many people are keen to see what Google's next phone looks like, and we got an inkling thanks to leaked CAD documents which appeared to show what the search giant has it in mind.

Now, Twitter account @PhoneDesigner has taken those same CAD images and turned them into lifelike 3D renders, giving us our best look yet at Google's potential smartphone future. Now, before we get too excited, it's worth noting that these renders are based on CAD documents which may not be authentic – but even so, it's nice to dream, right?

And this version of the Pixel 3 certainly is a dream-like device. It has abandoned the notch in favour of a Samsung S10-like 'hole punch' screen, with a single hole on the standard Pixel 4 and a wider one on the Pixel 4 XL (just like the Samsung S10 Plus, in fact). There's a tiny bezel around that (presumably OLED) screen, and it looks drop-dead gorgeous. Given that previous Pixel devices had traditionally shipped with sizeable top and bottom bezels, that's a refreshing change.

On the back, things are even more interesting. The basic design has been kept in place, but there's no fingerprint scanner, which hints at either an in-screen scanner or some form of face unlock system. On the Pixel 4 XL, we've also got a second camera, which suggests that Google could be moving away from its mantra that 'one camera is enough'. It's tempting to suggest that Google has given up in its mission to conquer photography via software rather than hardware, but that second snapper could simply be a wide-angle lens, rather than one that is used to improve normal images.

Will these renders prove to be true? Well, Google doesn't usually show off its phones until much later in the year, so we've got a while to wait yet. Still, if even half of the things seen here come to pass, we're already excited about getting our hands on the 2019 Pixel.