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Google may have only just announced its Pixel 3a and 3a XL smartphones, but rumors about this year's forthcoming Pixel 4 are already appearing, and the latest alleged leak suggests the search giant's redesigned handset will lack physical buttons.

google-pixel-4-angerdanger-render-1.jpg
MacRumors render of Pixel 4 based on leaks

This information has been shared by Jon Prosser's Front Page Tech YouTube channel, which last year was the source of several accurate details about the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL over a month before they launched, and also confirmed the Pixel 3a devices' existence before they were formally announced.

According to Prosser's source, the Pixel 4 will use capacitive touch areas on the sides of the aluminum handset in lieu of clickable physical power and volume buttons. Prosser suggests these touch-sensitive areas may use an extended version of Google's existing Active Edge technology currently found in the Pixel 2 and Pixel 3 that lets users squeeze their phone to launch Google Assistant or silence incoming calls and notifications.

In addition, Prosser's source corroborates other recent rumors, including the presence of punch-hole front cameras embedded in the display - akin to those seen in Samsung's Galaxy 10 Plus and other smartphones this year - and either an optical or ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor.

The rear of the device is expected to feature a new dual-lens camera setup including either a telephoto zoom or super-wide-angle sensor, and they may be aligned horizontally in the upper left corner of the handset rather than the more typical vertical orientation seen on other dual-lens smartphones.

The Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are expected to be 4G LTE devices and will likely be announced during the second week of October - or just a few weeks after Apple is expected to launch its flagship successors to the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR.

(Via PhoneArena.com)

Article Link: Google Pixel 4 Leaks Suggest Punch-Hole Selfie Camera and Total Lack of Physical Buttons
 
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Deefuzz

macrumors 6502a
Jan 27, 2004
933
82
St. Louis, MO
I tried the Pixel 3XL briefly. It was a decent phone overall, camera was stunning. Omitting the large notch in favor of a holepunch on the front is definitely a welcome step in the right direction

Omitting all buttons though? You still need to have some way to physically restart/reboot the phone if unresponsive I would think.

Not to mention the wonderful moment when you have in some headphones, and need to pull your phone out of your pocket and as you grab your phone you accidentally activate the capacitive touch to increase the volume to an uncomfortable level.
 

Bswails

macrumors regular
Jul 28, 2016
185
167
Honestly, I like the style of the Pixel. I don't think I am alone.

Google is still kinda new at hardware and I agree the pixel 3 looks nice. If google made a watch Apple would be in a bit of trouble considering they currently don’t offer a full line of home devices.
 
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Bswails

macrumors regular
Jul 28, 2016
185
167
I tried the Pixel 3XL briefly. It was a decent phone overall, camera was stunning. Omitting the large notch in favor of a holepunch on the front is definitely a welcome step in the right direction

Omitting all buttons though? You still need to have some way to physically restart/reboot the phone if unresponsive I would think.

Not to mention the wonderful moment when you have in some headphones, and need to pull your phone out of your pocket and as you grab your phone you accidentally activate the capacitive touch to increase the volume to an uncomfortable level.

Maybe squeeze and hold could be used instead of a button?
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Apple won’t go the hole-punch route. If anything, they’ll just reduce the notch slightly to give more space on each side for status.

Or keep the notch till they get rid of it.
 

Kabeyun

macrumors 68040
Mar 27, 2004
3,407
6,346
Eastern USA
Their hardware sucks.
Well, their phone cameras (hardware + software) are apparently among the best.

But a smartphone needs at least one button. Software gets buggy, and I won’t buy any device without at least one button for resets, etc. If every possible function can only be done with gestures, I have a gesture for it.
 
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