Google Pixel 4 software looks silky smooth in newly leaked videos

(Image credit: GenK)

published 6 October 2019

The Google Pixel 4 has leaked yet again.

This time, it's not a render we're looking at but rather a piping hot batch of marketing videos, demonstrating some of the handset's new features, including Face Unlock and Motion Sense, as well as a more refined user interface for Google Assistant.

Since Google has seemingly opted for face-recognition over a fingerprint reader, there's been a lot of confusion about how the device would handle purchases, both through G Pay and the Google Play Store – and now we have some clarification.

The process appears to be remarkably similar to how Face ID works on the iPhone: Face Unlock will take a scan of your face when you attempt to make a purchase, proceeding with the transaction only after it's successfully authenticated you.

If it's unable to do so, it will presumably ask for a backup password – just like Face ID does. However, it's unclear whether this will be the credential linked to your Google Account or once that Face Unlock prompted you to enter when you first set it up.

And let's not gloss over the fact it looks blazing fast. Maybe even faster than Face ID.

The next video showcases Motion Sense, Googe's new gesture-based navigation system. Based on the footage, it'll let you do everything from dismissing an incoming call and filtering through songs by waving your hand over the handset's screen.

Least interesting of all, the final video highlights a new interface for Google Assistant. There isn't an awful lot to report here, though – it's just a bit cleaner than the current version. It's an iterative update, but still worth taking into account nonetheless.

Add this (launch) date to your diary

Google will announce the Google Pixel 4 and Google Pixel 4 XL on October 15.

The duo is rumoured to bundle a 90Hz screen, a Qualcomm-made Snapdragon 855 CPU, at least 6GB of RAM, and a dual-camera on both the front and rear. The pair will also ship running Android 10, with the aforementioned software features baked in.

Having spent half a decade writing about the latest news for some of the world’s largest publications, Josh is one of the most recognised reporters in the space. Nowadays, in addition to covering the odd news article, he spends most of his time keeping T3's long-form consumer content up to date, while also researching and reporting on the best deals to help you save some serious scratch.