Look for New Pixel 4 Features That Google Has Secretly Added
The entire Pixel phone lineup recently got a few new features thanks to the first Pixel Feature Drop update , but it looks like Google has also managed to roll out a few additional Pixel 4 updates.
Both XDA Developers and Android Police noticed a trio of Pixel 4 improvements that weren’t covered as part of the original feature pack, despite the inclusion of new features that are likely to delight most Pixel 4 and 4 XL users – such extended eSIM support and better accuracy of GPS functions and face recognition.
Below is a rundown of the new Pixel 4 features included in the December Pixel Feature Drop, which itself is part of the December 2019 Android security update for Pixel phones. You can download the update by going to Settings> System> Advanced> System Update.
Better face recognition
The Pixel 4’s facial recognition capabilities will get better over time thanks to machine learning.
Every time you unlock your Pixel 4 with face unlock, the phone’s camera takes a quick photo of you and uses it to update your face data. This will help your phone recognize you faster and possibly from different angles or lighting.
It’s worth noting that these additional photos are securely stored locally on the phone’s Titan M chip and don’t seem to be shared with Google or anyone else.
Dual frequency GNSS support
In the original blog post about the first release of the Pixel Feature Drop, “improved Google Maps accuracy” was listed among the improvements to the Pixel 4, and support for a Dual Frequency Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signal appears to be part of that. In simple terms, this will allow your phone to connect to new signal frequencies so that it can communicate with GPS satellites using two frequencies at the same time to improve positioning accuracy, in particular the L1 and L5 or E1 and E5a frequencies.
T-Mobile eSIM support
The Pixel 4’s third feature devoid of shadows is T-Mobile eSIM support. This will allow your device to download and use the T-Mobile virtual SIM to access the carrier’s network and services, not the physical SIM. ESIM support also means you can activate and use your phone on two different networks at the same time, using an eSIM and a physical SIM for different carriers on the same phone.