Pixel 4 can't record 4K video at 60fps as Google thinks you don't need it

21 October 2019
The tweet with the explanation also makes a passing reference to how much storage 4K @ 60fps video consumes.

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  • W
  • Wow
  • 7}Q
  • 21 Oct 2019

They're even collecting data of camera usage and prefrences. Just wow

    Not all is bad with the Pixel 4. It obviously has the best display for a Pixel. Project Soli / Motion Sense has potential but is still years away from being useful on a smartphone. The hideous notch is gone for the 4 XL model. Super Res Zoom can only improve with its 2x telephoto. The extra 2 more gigs of RAM should help. And the design isn't that bad. It's growing on me especially the ones in white or orange.

    I just don't believe it's really an "upgrade" over its predecessor...

    No USB-C headphones included
    No dual front speakers
    No wide-angle camera at the front
    No fingerprint scanner
    No Photos unlimited storage
    No Daydream VR compatibility
    Worse battery life on the smaller model
    Android 10 is my least favorite update since Lollipop

    This is like Note10 is to Note9 users. Why downgrade?

    Best
    1. Pixel 3
    2. Pixel 4
    3. Pixel 2
    4. Pixel 3a
    5. Pixel

    Favorites
    1. Pie
    2. Nougat
    3. Marshmallow
    4. Oreo
    5. KitKat
    6. Ice Cream Sandwich
    7. Jelly Bean
    8. Lollipop
    9. 10
    10. Gingerbread

    Essential Phone for life!

      We don't need headphone jack.
      We don't need good battery life.
      We don't need SD card support.
      We don't need Wide Angle Camera.
      We don't need 4k recording at 60fps.
      We don't need a 256 GB variant.


      And google doesn't need our money. Lol.

        Hamza, 21 Oct 2019When Huawei phones couldn't do 4k 60 People raved about h... more"They need to make up their mind"

        Have you read the comments? Everyone is taking the mick out of Google.

        It was stupid when Huawei didin't have it and its stupid when Google doesn't.

        What you should be saying is when Huawei didnt have it people said it was fine and justified now Pixel doesn't have it those same people are on Pixel hate bandwagon ;)

          • ?
          • Anonymous
          • F@2
          • 21 Oct 2019

          Anonymous, 21 Oct 2019So, we can get an under $50 phone to do full HD, why do we ... morePoint is, why don't we have support for something better than microSD on the phone, are they scared of the extra 20c cost?

            • ?
            • Anonymous
            • F@2
            • 21 Oct 2019

            So, we can get an under $50 phone to do full HD, why do we need Google? They think that they should sell a luxury phone based on sub $50 features? They are their to sell luxury phones at luxury prices, with high end features, bring on the 8k 50/60 fps, 12 bit 300-600mb/s.

              • ?
              • Anonymous
              • mJs
              • 21 Oct 2019

              Google isnt any better than HTC, Sony, etc. What people ask for isn't much and doesn't need statistics. Best SOC, at least 8GB RAM, Big battery, much storage, brilliant photos in any possible format. That is IF customers pay 800$+ for a phone. What people get is: Great camera + Gimmicks that most people won't use in everyday situations. I think most people won't want a 90hz screen that usually runs in 60hz to save battery. Also, do they want no real gesture control but mini radar system-gesture controls and the never used squeezing feature? Those features are totally fine, but people want relevant hardware for their hard earned money. You know what 400$ can buy you right now? 4500mAh+, OLED Screen, 128GB ROM, 8-12GB RAM, quad cameras, etc. Sadly no vanilla android and barely any updates (cept xiaomi). Why do people keep buying google phones? Purely because of brand loyalty and mabye upgrades. Pixel doesn't mean "premium industry standard + new technology" anymore, but only: "some overpriced phone with minimum specs + a great camera + gimmicks". If you are up for gimmicks, go for it, if not, invest in any android one phone.

                • T
                • Truth speaker
                • J7R
                • 21 Oct 2019

                its bcoz the cardboard box has only 64/128gb max memory.

                  R.I.P. GooglePixelSeries
                  (2016-2017)

                    • M
                    • Mussafr
                    • j%h
                    • 21 Oct 2019

                    heyz, 21 Oct 2019idk why you guys are getting butthurt over not getting 4k/6... moreIt's not about the usefulness of a feature but about its value prop. At flagship level prices, you'd expect flagship level features and storage. $799 and subpar battery life (as evidenced in all the major tech reviewer comments) combined with missing features and half-baked gimmicks (soli motion sense) means it's a FAIL. And being a Pixel user personally...it hurts to admit that the iPhone 11 Pro is just a better phone all around.

                    Sorry bruh...Gotta pass on Pixels this year.

                      heyz, 21 Oct 2019idk why you guys are getting butthurt over not getting 4k/6... moreMore options = better.
                      It wouldn't hurt their a***s that much to offer such setting in the app, would it?
                      Do they even think of those who have expensive gimballs at home and can use them to stabilize their footages, especially those 4K 60fps ones?

                      No. Google only thinks for themselves. They don't care about your horrible experience for as long as they are earning high enough that their laziness would turn them a lot of fortune.

                      Now, if you're going to be considerate about this disastrous mindset of many trillion dollar companies, then be it.
                      Just to tell you now though, that it would encourage the true powerhouse companies to also stop trying their hardest to push the boundaries of our current generation to the limits, and just join the bandwagon of offering less for more money, because in the end, it would still give them more in return.

                        • ?
                        • Anonymous
                        • X}Q
                        • 21 Oct 2019

                        I had S9 Plus, S10 Plus both has 4K60 but I never touch it on my S9 neither have I touch it on my current S10. Used 4K@30fps whatever I record though. Google isn't completely wrong, not everyone uses it.

                          First time since 2017 when I will admit an iPhone is better than a Pixel. First time it seems CLEARLY better.

                          2016: Pixel > iPhone 7
                          2017: Pixel 2 < iPhone X
                          2018: Pixel 3 > iPhone XS
                          2019: Pixel 4 < iPhone 11 Pro

                          The $699 iPhone 11 is clearly better than a Pixel 4 as well. I was only comparing phones above with similar sizes. The XR and 11 have comparable sizes to the 3a. The iPhone 11 is $100 cheaper, same amount of 64 GB storage for the base model, faster SoC, wide-angle camera, and way better battery life.

                          If you're better in three areas: battery life, price, and camera, you're the obvious winner in my eyes. This a year when I feel Apple clearly defeated Google with their flagship. And I'm not even talking about their Pro models. If I didn't hate iOS so much, I would go back using iPhone.

                          Pixel 3 vs iPhone XS is close as I think the camera was still clearly better than on the P3 over XS. Battery was better in XS but not that much better. The iPhone 11, it's clear to me the camera is equally as good (even better in night shots) and clearly has battery life that's amazing as the XR.

                          The X was better than Pixel 2 only because it was something different but the P2 was better than the iPhone 8. The best deal really is the iPhone 11 for now. Wait for the SE2 though. Even smaller, cheaper, same cameras as the 11.

                            • i
                            • increased
                            • M{f
                            • 21 Oct 2019

                            arrogance at its best.

                              • ?
                              • Anonymous
                              • YQR
                              • 21 Oct 2019

                              2019 Google: "... you don't need a 4K 60fps mode to pay $$$ for our device"
                              Future Google: "...you don't need a reason to pay $$$$$ for our device"
                              Distant future Google: "...you don't even need a device to pay us $$$$$$$$ "

                                • A
                                • Akky
                                • DkY
                                • 21 Oct 2019

                                Google thinks a lot of things :D

                                  • D
                                  • AnonD-703827
                                  • nx6
                                  • 21 Oct 2019

                                  I think I don't need googles phone.

                                    • h
                                    • heyz
                                    • jIT
                                    • 21 Oct 2019

                                    idk why you guys are getting butthurt over not getting 4k/60. have you guys even extensively used it? It's just very gimmicky tbh. 4K/60 doesn't have stabilization of any kind unless you invest in a gimbal. The colors and contrast aren't as nice. and most of the time, the phones themselves can't even sustain 60 fps. some hover around 44-52 fps. and forget about lowlight. you just get this stuttery mess. and this is for both the iphone XS and a samsung S10. So why bother if it gives an overall lesser quality video when you take into consideration, stable frame rates, actual video stabilization, better HDR, fuller full-frame details, and higher PER FRAME bit rate that you will get from 4k/30.

                                      • ?
                                      • Anonymous
                                      • LQw
                                      • 21 Oct 2019

                                      I'd rather have 4K HDR

                                        Honestly, battery life is the real dealbreaker with the smaller Pixel 4. I rarely use the camera on any of my phones. I might snap like a dozen photos per year.

                                        If say my Pixel 3 and Essential Phone were on the same software (Pie / September 2018) and were equally fast and smooth which is all true. The phone with the better battery life (which is the Essential) is the one I will prefer using over the one with the better camera. Cameras on smartphones can be such an overrated aspect. The differences are negligible at times. Longer battery life is far more vital and far more obvious when comparing.

                                        Only reason why I left my T-Mobile sim on my Pixel 3 over Essential is because I use GCam on the latter. When doing Postmates deliveries, it can't take a pic for receipts using that GCam app. I have to snap it and then extract the photo from galleries. Extra steps. My G5 which also uses the GCam is the same way. My P3 just snaps it and I'm good to go. My P3 is also maintains a signal better than my PH-1.

                                        If the P3 can have the same battery life as my PH-1, it would be perfect. Oh, well. They all have their flaws and trade-offs.