Google is taking a different approach to the cycle of leaks and speculation and decided to just share what it can. This time around, the company is showing off the Pixel 4’s facial recognition technology and gesture controls. Google’s blog post also shows a tear-away view of the top of the phone, giving us a look at what sensors are accessible at the top of the phone. And there’s a lot as you can see above.
The Project Soli’s radar-based motion sensor does make an appearance, and it helps with explicit gesture support or Motion Sense as Google calls it for actions like skipping songs, snoozing alarms, and silencing phone calls. Let’s hope this provides a smoother experience than what the LG G8 offered. Also, the feature won’t be available in all countries that get the phone. According to Android Police, Google may need individual government regulatory approval for Soli’s radar technology.
As for facial recognition, this isn’t solely radar-based. A “Dot Projector” is paired with an infrared flood illuminator and IR camera on both the left and right side of the phone. Having two IR cameras separated by a distance should make it easier to gather parallax-based depth information.
Soli will also be used to help unlock the device faster. Google explains that as you reach for the phone, it should help identify you “all in one motion.” The system can also be used for biometric authentication, and it’ll work in “almost any orientation—even if you’re holding it upside down.”
If you’re worried about your face data, it’ll only be stored on-device in the Titan M security chip. This means you don’t have to worry about it being stored by Google on your account or anywhere online.