Last week the Google Pixel 4 was finally unveiled to the world. And now it’s officially available to buy in Australia.
Here’s everything Aussies need to know about the new range – including what they cost on a plan.
[referenced url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2019/10/google-pixel-4-astrophotography-camera-review/” thumb=”https://gizmodo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/pixel-astro-header-410×231.jpg” title=”The Pixel 4’s Astrophotography Mode Is Pure Witchcraft” excerpt=”One of the biggest upgrades to the Pixel 4 has been the camera, and it’s about time. In addition to bumping up those megapixels (and denying us a wide angle lens) Google decided to flex hard by adding a dedicated astrophotography mode into the mix. I’ll take any opportunity to escape Sydney’s neon claws, so a few of us tech writers headed out to a legit astronomy enthusiast spot to give it a whirl.”]
The smart phone industry in general has made it normal for handsets prices to skyrocket every year. And this is why we were pleasantly surprised to discover that this year Google actually made the Pixels cheaper.
The 4 starts at $1,049, with the XL starting at $1,279. Comparatively, last year the 3 started at $1,199 and the 3 XL started at $1,349.
But perhaps we should have seen this move coming. After all, earlier this year the company redefined what we should expect from a mid-priced phones with the Pixel 3a.
And to be fair, the Pixel 3 and 3 XL were absolutely priced too high for handsets that contained mostly incremental upgrades from the Pixel 2 range.
This year we’re seeing some beefier specs, with a new Snapdragon 855 processor, upgraded RAM and bigger batteries.
It also has what Google is calling Pixel Neaural Core, which reportedly allows for powerful and fast processing.
The device also includes the Titan M security chip, which will work with Android 10 security updates for added data security.
[referenced url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2019/10/google-nest-mini-australian-price-release-date/” thumb=”https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/t_ku-large/okppxxeqminz3oqwh5s3.png” title=”The Google Nest Mini Can Now Hang On Your Wall Like A Piece Of Art That’s Always Listening To You” excerpt=”As one of the search giant’s most popular hardware products, Google isn’t tampering with the design for its next-generation Home Mini smart speaker, first introduced back in 2017. But in addition to a name change, it’s now easier to put the new Google Nest Mini exactly where you want it.”]
But the narrative the Google is really pushing this year is the upgraded camera.
While the main rear lens remains 12MP, the telephoto has jumped from 8MP to 16MP.
If you were hoping for a wide-angle lens – no dice. In fact, a Google rep said during the briefing that wide-angle is “fun” but they find telephoto to be more important.
The Night Sight also looks stunning this year, by adding astrophotography. Google is boasting that it can capture stars and even the Milky Way on a clear night. We can’t wait to test this out.
The Pixel 4 also adds to the HDR+ that has been in the range from the first generation by adding Live HDR+ to the view finder. This means that you’ll apparently be able to see how the shot will turn out even in poor or low lighting.
For example, you can mess with the highlights and the shadows before you even click the shutter.
You’ll also find a wider selfie camera, as well as AI-white balancing.
One of the biggest non-hardware leaks over the past few weeks has been Motion Sense, which us powered by a radar – a first for any smart phone.
A wave of the hand will allow you to do things like skip music tracks, silence your phone, snooze alarms and dismiss timers.
Thanks to the Motion Sense radar your phone will also know when to initiate face unlock when you reach for your phone, and know to turn the screen off when you’re not around.
In the live demo from Made By Google they showed the alarm volume lowering as a hand reached for the phone, which is a nice touch that I know I’ll appreciate early in the morning.
This all sounds very cool, but we’re keen to see how it works in practice – especially when it comes the phone having a lot of different people around it.
[referenced url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2019/10/google-updates-pixel-buds-and-theyre-truly-wireless-this-time/” thumb=”https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/t_ku-large/voqah4fcviv3xllgtdhy.png” title=”Google Updates Pixel Buds And They’re Truly Wireless This Time” excerpt=”Apple has AirPods, Samsung has its Galaxy Buds, and Microsoft has its Surface Earbuds. Not to be left out, Google announced today its Pixel Buds 2.”]
On the software front, the leaked Recorder app is also legit and we’re damn excited about it.
Not only will it record audio, it transcribes the speech in real time and will tag different sounds such as music and applause.
You can also look for instances of certain words – search a word and it will bring up all of the time stamps where it occurred in the recording.
All of this happens on-device as well, so you don’t need to worry about your recordings being listened to somewhere.
If this works as well as Google says it’s going to be a game changer for so many professions, not to mention students.
A new Google Assistant will also be on the way over the summer via a software update.
We don’t know a whole lot yet, but it will reportedly be faster and allow you to multitask across apps and search your phone.
Now, let’s get down to the cold, hard specs.
| Pixel 4 | Pixel 4 XL | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 10 | Android 10 |
| Display | 5.7-inch 1080p+ with 90Hz refresh rate | 6.3-inch 1440p+ with 90Hz refresh rate |
| Body | 68.8 x 147.1 x 8.2 mm, 162 grams | 75.1 x 160.4 x 8.2 mm, 193 grams |
| Camera | Rear: 12.2MP Æ’/1.7 main and 16MP Æ’/2.4 aperture telephoto with 4K video resolution. Front: 8MP with 1080p video resolution | Rear: 12.2MP Æ’/1.7 main and 16MP Æ’/2.4 aperture telephoto with 4K video resolution. Front: 8MP with 1080p video resolution |
| Processor | Snapdragon 855 | Snapdragon 855 |
| Memory/Storage | 6GB RAM/64GB or 128GB storage | 6GB RAM/64GB or 128GB storage |
| Water Resistance | IP68 | IP68 |
| Battery | 2,800mAH with 18W fast charging, wireless charging | 3,700mAH with 18W fast charging, wireless charging |
| Colours | Clearly White, Just Black, Oh So Orange | Clearly White, Just Black, Oh So Orange |
| Price | $1,049 for 64GB, $1,199 for 128GB | $1,279 for 64GB, $1,429 for 128GB |
The Google Pixel 4 and 4 XL are available now.
The Pixel 4 will cost $1,049 for the 64GB model, with the 128GB coming in at $1,199. The Pixel 4 XL will start at $1,279 for the 64GB, with the 128GB model costing $1,429.
As an FYI Oh So Orange is a limited edition and only has a 64GB storage option.
And if you want to buy on a plan, this is what the three major telcos have on offer:
Telstra
The cheapest Pixel 4 plan with Telstra is $79.13 for 15GB data on a 36 month plan. This is for the 64GB model.
Of course, this isn’t a lot of data and it’s a long time to be locked into a contract.
If you don’t mind the contract length, we’d recommend upgrading to the 60GB a month plan for $89.13 a month.
Or if you’d prefer a 24-month plan we would be looking at the $103.70 a month plan that comes with 60GB data.
The same goes for the Pixel 4 XL (64GB model), our pick is the 24-month 60GB plan, which will set you back $113.29.
Of course, if you’d prefer 128GB storage on your device it’s going to cost extra.
If you grab your Pixel through Telstra before January 13, you’ll get a bonus Google Nest Hub.
Telstra Pixel 4 64GB Plans (24 months)
Telstra Pixel 4 128GB Plans (24 months)
Telstra Pixel 4 XL 64GB Plans (24 months)
Telstra Pixel 4 XL 128GB Plans (24 months)
Telstra Pixel 4 64GB Plans (36 months)
Telstra Pixel 4 128GB Plans (36 months)
Telstra Pixel 4 XL 64GB Plans (36 months)
Telstra Pixel 4 XL 128GB Plans (36 months)
Optus
The cheapest Optus plan is the 64GB Pixel 4 which is $70 a month for 4GB data on a 36-month plan.
We definitely don’t recommend this.
Instead, consider the $93 a month 60GB plan, which only runs for 24-months.
Again, it will cost more to go for a 128GB Pixel 4 or any of the 4 XL models.
If you go with Optus before December 31, you’ll get a bonus Harman Kardon Citation One Speaker with Google Assistant.
Optus Pixel 4 64GB Plans (24 months)
Optus Pixel 4 128GB Plans (24 months)
Optus Pixel 4 XL 64GB Plans (24 months)
Optus Pixel 4 XL 128GB Plans (24 months)
Optus Pixel 4 64GB Plans (36 months)
Optus Pixel 4 128GB Plans (36 months)
Optus Pixel 4 XL 64GB Plans (36 months)
Optus Pixel 4 XL 128GB Plans (36 months)
Vodafone
The cheapest Pixel 4 you can get with Vodafone comes in at $64.13 a month for 5GB data on a 36-month contract. This is for the 65GB model.
For best value on a shorter contract we would recommend the $88.70 a month plan which comes with 30GB data on a 24-month contract. If you want to bump this up to an 128GB model it will set you back $94.95 a month.
We would also recommend the 30GB plan for the Google Pixel 4 XL (64GB model) which comes in at $98.29 on a 24-month contract.
All Vodafone prices may be slightly lower if you qualify for a loyalty discount.
Vodafone Pixel 4 64GB Plans (24 months)
Vodafone Pixel 4 128GB Plans (24 months)
Vodafone Pixel 4 XL 64GB Plans (24 months)
Vodafone Pixel 4 XL 128GB Plans (24 months)
Vodafone Pixel 4 64GB Plans (36 months)
Vodafone Pixel 4 128GB Plans (36 months)
Vodafone Pixel 4 XL 64GB Plans (36 months)
Vodafone Pixel 4 XL 128GB Plans (36 months)
[referenced url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2019/10/google-nest-wifi-australian-price-release-date/” thumb=”https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/t_ku-large/iezcrbqndggevohemmas.png” title=”New Google Nest Wifi Brings Mesh Nodes That Double As Smart Speakers” excerpt=”The original Google Wifi promised reliable and fast internet across your entire home using a series of identical mesh nodes positioned around your house. It’s the same approach that’s used for the company’s new and renamed Nest Wifi. But now, a central router is employed with satellite nodes that double as smart speakers.”]