Here’s the crux of the matter: A new Pixel 4 update is rolling out, however, it is only available to a few users. Even more unfortunate, this new Pixel 4 update will be the last the Pixel smartphone will be receiving.
Two years before Google opted to elevate its Pixel devices to the next level to compete with Apple and Samsung, it was speculated that the Pixel 4 series will do the same. After all, Google packed the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL with everything. Face Unlock Secure featured 3D face recognition, a dot projector, a flood light, and two infrared cameras comparable to Apple’s True Depth Camera used for Face ID.
The Pixel 4 series devices also included a 90Hz refresh rate, as well as the Motion Sense function. Motion Sense, which used Google’s Soli radar technology, allowed users to control various parts of their Pixel 4 devices with a gesture. Unfortunately, the possibilities were severely limited, and Google never reinstated the capability. A call or an alert could be rejected with a wave of the hand, and the phone would instantly unlock when picked up.
The Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL sold poorly, and a couple of Google engineers were let go as a result. Now, a little under three years later, the Pixel 7 series is breaking corporate sales records. When Android 13 was launched in August, the Pixel 4 series received its most recent big software upgrade. The Pixel 4 models received their last monthly security update in October and are now deemed to be End of Life (EOL).
The new Pixel 4 update: a surprise
Mishaal Rahman of Esper (via Android Police) tweeted about a fresh Android build for the Pixel 4 series that he uncovered. However, there is a catch: this new Pixel 4 update is reserved for developers and was submitted to the Android Privacy Sandbox. “The Privacy Sandbox for Android intends to create innovative technologies that increase user privacy and allow efficient, tailored advertising experiences for mobile apps,” Google explains. Surprisingly, the Privacy Sandbox is limited to the Pixel 4, not the Pixel 4 XL.
There is currently no indication that this build will be made accessible to the public, although you never know at this time. The update is based on the most recent Quarterly Feature Drop (QPR1), and as previously stated, it includes the December security upgrade, making it rather fresh.
