Google announces the Pixel 4 will have FaceID, radar-powered gestures

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  Google's new diagram of the Pixel 4. There's FaceID and Soli technology in there.

After showing off the back of the Pixel 4 in June, Google is again taking the unprecedented step of publicly detailing an unreleased smartphone. The newest post on the company blog is all about the Pixel 4's big top bezel and the tech goodies contained within.

First, Google confirms the earlier rumors from 9to5Google that the device will integrate Project Soli technology:

Pixel 4 will be the first device with Soli, powering our new Motion Sense features to allow you to skip songs, snooze alarms, and silence phone calls, just by waving your hand. These capabilities are just the start, and just as Pixels get better over time, Motion Sense will evolve as well. Motion Sense will be available in select Pixel countries.

Soli, or "Motion Sense" as it's being called in the Pixel 4, is powered by radar. Google's Advanced Technology and Projects team (ATAP) has been working on shrinking down radar into a tiny chip for the last five years. As originally pitched, Soli was capable of detecting a number of fine hand gestures, like tapping your thumb and index finger together for a virtual button press or rubbing the two fingers together to scroll or turn a virtual dial. Google's old Soli YouTube video claims the technology is capable of tracking "sub-millimeter motions at high speed and accuracy," but in this first consumer device, the video shows waving your entire hand across the entire face of the phone to skip music. Gestures like this have been done before on Samsung and Motorola phones with cameras and other optical sensors, and they were not well received enough to be carried forward to future devices.

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