 So you've probably heard this from a lot of people, struggling on how to review the Pixel 4, the Pixel 4 XL. I've been doing kind of the same thing, but then I was gifted this little clip from the Verge podcast. Why can't it shoot 4K 24 or 4K 60 video? 4K 24 or 4K 60? Yeah. Why can't it do those things? I think the answer is that nobody needs those things. I shouldn't say nobody. Wow. Don't shout on YouTube, because I feel like I know some people who really think they need those things. They're very influential. Whenever you look at a camera, there's very strong drop-off. There's some things that everybody does all the time. I open the camera, I press the button, I close the camera. Done. That's like 80% of people. That's 95% of what they do. And then there's 1% of people who wants this crazy other thing like a raw capture or a 4K 60 or something. That sums it right up. The Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL, which is what I'm reviewing, it's an 80% phone. And I think that is where my biggest problem lies with the Pixel 4 XL. I've been using this for close to a month now, and it feels... That's what it feels like to me, right? The Pixel 3, if you go back to last year, I didn't like that phone. I did not recommend it. I made a video specifically not recommend the Pixel 3 XL. I had so many issues. I'm glad I don't have hardware issues this year, and they've solved a lot of that for me. Hardware seems really solid off the bat. I love the hardware looking. I mean, I love that orange back. To me, that's my favorite color. The chin is massive on the forehead chin, forehead, sorry. And then the chin is also big, but I prefer that over a notch. That being said, the device still feels a little halfway. There are things it does really well. And as you saw, and if you haven't checked that out, go check out my full professional camera review. This thing does a really, really good job taking photos. It is probably the best. I was a big fan of Huawei last year. I thought Huawei had the best camera. Some people would say Pixel, but this year, I think Pixel has the best camera in terms of taking photos. But again, that's where that 80% comes in. Google decided not to put a ultra-wide angle lens on this thing. So, you know, that's the thing that a lot of people use in taking ultra-wide photos. It's very beneficial. They felt like people don't use it, so we don't put it in. 80% thinking right there, right? So, not having an ultra-wide lens makes me just go back to the Galaxy Note 10 Plus because it has an ultra-wide, and it still has probably the best ultra-wide lens on there. So, that is missing from my photography. And when it comes to video on the other hand, as we heard in the clip earlier, it doesn't do 4K 60, doesn't do 4K 24. Video has not been improved necessarily from last year. So, you're going again. Come on guys. Like, we can't be the master of just one small thing. Now, going back to that clip and saying, look, this is something they mentioned how that's a feature that not a lot of people use. Let's take astrophotography, for instance. It's really nice to have, but the fact is, how many people will take out their tripods to have that long exposure time? Not everyone. Not a lot of people. Actually, less than 10% probably. So, it's even less than the amount of people that they talk about with it. And to me, that is mind-boggling. That's where I feel that Google hasn't thought about the process of what they're trying to do with this device. Their videos out there will tell you the Pixel 4X sells not for you. I say it's not for a lot of people because of that 80% mentality. You've got to look at the competition. Now, this device also has a ton of features. You've got a 90 Hertz display, which is really nice, especially for me, people like me who like to game. And that's really cool. The problem is, of course, it does that variable 60 to 90 in terms of where your screen brightness is. So, again, that's something that's kind of, uh, right? And then you also have the fact that it's packed with a 3700 mAh battery. It's a much smaller battery than you would want to have with a device pushing a 90 Hertz display. Most other devices are 4000 mAh minimum. And the results are quite clear. If I game with the Pixel 4XL, forget it. I just have to go charge this device. So those are the kind of thinking, those 80 to 20% thinking that I realize they are not really pushing it. Now, some would say you've got adaptive battery life, which is good. Until this very day, my battery life has not adapted to my needs. I know some people who have seen improvements, but for me, it's just not there. And I think I'm fine with adaptive battery as long as the battery size also matches. So, you know, if I'm doing an adaptive battery on a 4000 mAh, it makes more sense than 3700 or 2800 on a Pixel 4, which by all accounts has been atrocious with battery life. So, you know, those are the kind of simplistic things that I think doesn't make a lot of sense. Now, here's another one that for me, it's more personal than anything else. One of the biggest things that Google announced at the event is the voice recorder. It works really well. I love the app. But let's be honest, how many people will actually go into the voice recorder app? Now, I personally wish that Google leaned on more of its strengths and basically bake the voice recording app into Google Assistant. It could be a feature that was just available for the Pixel for a while before it goes to any other device that supports Google Assistant. But the fact that I, for me, the thought process would be easier if I had my Pixel, I'm at an event or I'm interviewing someone and I just say, hey, you know, G record that and it starts recording. And I can also say, hey, G record that and transcribe and it does it off the bat. And I don't have to go into an app. Trust me, the app is great. There's nothing wrong with it. But again, that's that little step I would like to see from Google. I really like this device. Don't get me wrong. I think it's a solid piece of hardware. And I think it's it's it's it brings in a lot of great features in terms of the camera, in terms of camera photography, portrait photos look really good. You got to check out the video with Marion who really breaks that down. But the other side of having the cameras missing with video, I mean, people capture a lot of content and having this that ability to capture it. And, you know, to the highest degree is missing from a device that's priced, you know, at about 800 plus, you know, so for me, these are the things that make me a little wary with the Pixel 4 XL and the Pixel 4 to be to be frank. I think Google is on the right step, but they have to think of the consumer in mind. Now, look at not trying to compare but look at Apple. Apple is slow actually doing these things. But when they make that jump, they make that jump. Samsung on their hand is always very forward thinking and saying, hey, we'll supply air all the features in there that we can give to our consumers, and we'll give it to them. Now, now last but not least, of course, is that solely feature with, of course, the built-in radar where you can wave to answer phone calls, you can use it to turn off your alarm. It's very basic switch music. It's nice. Then again, it's not new. We've seen this feature, the feature not of course the technology they're using with the LG G8 earlier this year and even the Galaxy S4 way down the line. Again, this is something where I think now it's the reverse of that 80-20 where 20% of the people even less will use that feature and 80% will go, why do I have it? When you have a very solid voice assistance, I would have loved to see Google Assistant take a bigger role in this device, push the little bit more harder and adding features that say, wow, this is the power of what Google can do and this is how it helps me use this device. So those are the kind of things that I do like. I mean, my Google Assistant started dictating what I was saying because I said Google Assistant. I didn't even say Google, but I said Google Assistant and it started dictating. So you can understand where I am with this mindset. Now, there's a couple of other things that are minor and again, don't get me wrong. I don't hate the device. I feel that Google is about to get over that hump, but they're like just peeking at the very top instead of going like, let's run and jump over because they took away high res photo uploads for the Pixel 4 XL. You're launching this device at 64 gigabytes instead of maybe 120 or 256 and then of course you're reducing the high res photo uploads. To me, it makes no sense. What do you want your consumers to do in the first place? So that is where I see my issues with the Pixel 4 XL. So would I recommend the Pixel 4 XL? I would say if you are looking for something specific within the confines of what Google does well, I say they make sense, especially with photography. This is probably the best phone photography this year in terms of taking photos on the video sites. No, it doesn't cover that gambit. That's why I look at it being 80 20. If you're looking at it for other things in terms of, say gaming, not so much because the battery, battery drain, also battery temperatures, almost like a hundred and something degrees. Those are the kind of things that kind of limits it away. But photography, this is probably the best photography phone. And that's where I will put the Pixel 4 XL. So if you have any questions or any comments, or you totally disagree with me, you think, hey, it's not meant for you. I would question to say, who is it meant for? And why is it 80% of the people might not make a device if it's mass market for everyone at least fits most categories. Let me know your thoughts guys. Don't forget to like and share, subscribe to the channel and always enjoy your entertainment.