INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Image copyrightGoogleImage caption
The handset combines more than a dozen long-exposure photos to reveal details in the
night sky hidden to the naked eye
Google is pitching its Pixel 4 phones as being able to take the kind of astrophotography
images that required specialist camera kit in the past.They are also the first handsets to use a motion-sensing radar chip that switches off
some functionality when the phone is left unattended, saving battery life.Pixel is only the ninth bestselling phone brand in the UK, despite
positive reviews for its last-generation models.Google says it is playing a long game."It is very early for us still," devices and services
chief Rick Osterloh told TheIndianSubcontinent News ahead of its New York launch."Most people in the mobile-phone space take more than a
decade to grow to any significant scale
And so, we have that long-term view."Pixel is popular in USBut UK sales fell post-Pixel 3 launchOne reason the Pixel 3 has been more
successful in the US than elsewhere is that Huawei has been effectively excluded from the American market
And with the Chinese company's latest models unable to pre-install Google apps because of a trade ban, one market watcher said Pixel had a
chance to make significant gains this time round.Image copyrightGoogleImage caption
The Pixel 4 handsets are Google's
first to feature two cameras on the back
"Operators and retailers in Europe are nervous about a return to there being just
two dominant players - Samsung and Apple," said Ben Wood, from CCS Insight."With Huawei effectively leaving the market, clearly there's an
opportunity for Google if it is prepared to put significant marketing support behind its devices."Star gazingThe Pixel 4 and larger Pixel 4
XL seek to build on their predecessors' widely praised Night Sight facility, after reviews suggested it had finally been surpassed by the
iPhone 11 and Huawei Mate 30's low-light capabilities.First, Google says, its machine-learning algorithms have been improved to deliver
better "colour balance", to ensure skies and other parts of the scenery look more natural
This should address the fact some critics felt the old software sometimes whitened warm sources of light too aggressively.Image
copyrightGoogleImage caption
The Pixel 4 must be static when taking advantage of the new star-shooting mode
Secondly, a new Astrophotography mode allows the phone to capture "stars, planets and even galaxies" by automatically creating a
composite of 15 long-exposure images, each lasting 15 seconds in duration
The whole process can take more than four minutes to complete.Daylight shots also benefit from the introduction of a "dual exposure" feature
This allows owners to set a different exposure setting for the brightness and shadows via on-screen sliders, and preview the results in
Google says this offers benefits over the earlier HDR (high dynamic range) mode, where the effect was applied automatically and users could
not see the results until after a photograph was taken
It means, for example, a user can set one exposure for the sky and another for the subjects in the foreground to compose the desired
stylistic effect.Image copyrightGoogleImage caption
Owners can now adjust the exposure of brightness and shadows
separately
For the first time, the Pixel 4 also features two cameras on the back The added telephoto lens should help the
handset take flattering portrait shots and a better zoom effect
But it risks undermining Google's earlier claim its machine-learning software had negated the need for added hardware."People are going to
see the value in the numbers," said Jonathan Bray, from the Expert Reviews website, referring to the iPhone 11 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S10's
three rear cameras."And how many people are actually going to use the Astrophotography thing? I'm not sure many."Pixel is still really a
geek thing rather than mass market."Miniature radarThe Pixel 4 is also noteworthy for doing away with the "notch" in the Pixel 3's
display, opting instead for a bezel that runs across the whole top of the screen.Image copyrightGoogleThis makes room for several new
face-unlock components, which Google says brings its handsets in line with Apple's in the security stakes.In addition, a Soli radar chip
makes its debut after five years' development in the US company's labs
This is used to give the device a 180-degree sense of motion in its immediate environment, allowing it to:turn on the screen and other
circuitry only when it detects someone nearby, and thus extend the time the phone lasts between chargespower up the face-detection equipment
when it detects a hand approaching, helping it unlock the device more quicklyrecognise gesture-based controls, allowing owners to change
songs or swipe screens without touching the handsetMr Bray suggested the features, while technically impressive, were unlikely to have mass
appeal.Image copyrightGoogleImage caption
The new phones can also transcribe conversations in real-time with all the
processing done on-device, but the facility does not work with phone calls
But Google's hardware chief indicated they were
just the start."We think it's a great foundation to build more and more capabilities," said Mr Osterloh."It really supports this idea of
ambient computing, where the technology just sort of fades in the background and you can interact more naturally with it."The 5.7in handset
launch.Image copyrightGoogleImage caption
The new generation of Nest Mini speakers have been reengineered to provide
deeper bass when playing back music
Other new products unveiled by Google included:the Google Nest Mini, a small smart
speaker with an extra chip to process more commands within the device rather than via remote computer servers, which should speed up some
tasksrevamped Pixel Buds earphones, which can connect to the new phones from a distance of up to "a football pitch" away but will not go on
sale until next yearupdated "premium" Chrome OS laptops that have lower prices than the models they replace and longer battery lifeThe firm
also announced its Stadia cloud gaming service would launch on November 19.
