Google (NASDAQ: GOOGL) on Monday confirmed in a detailed blog post that its upcoming Pixel 4 phone, which it is expected to be announced sometime before the end of the year, will feature face unlock technology instead of a fingerprint sensor.
Unlocking your smartphone using a face scan isn’t exactly new, but few smartphone makers are good enough to replace a fingerprint scan. That is what Google is promising with the Pixel 4.
“If the face unlock sensors and algorithms recognize you, the phone will open as you pick it up, all in one motion,” says Google. “Better yet, face unlock works in almost any orientation…”
Obviously, the search giant which promises its FaceID “image data never leaves your phone”, couldn’t help it by taking a small swipe at Apple’s iPhone. Cupertino’s Face ID doesn’t work unless the phone is upside down.
The company also revealed that Pixel 4 will be the first to integrate “Motion Sense”, a radar-powered chip developed by Google’s Advanced Technology and Projects team. The motion-sensing radar chip called Soli, allows users to interact with the phone without touching it.
Google said users can “skip songs, snooze alarms, and silence phone calls, just by waving their hand.” The company noted that ”these capabilities are just the start, and just as Pixels get better over time, Motion Sense will evolve as well.”
You can see Google’s short promotional video below.
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