Google Pixel 5 Has A Feature That Apple's iPhones Don't

Dhir Acharya - Oct 12, 2020

The Google Pixel 5 has turned into a disappointment with the compromises made on the so-called flagship smartphone. But there's silver lightning.

The Google Pixel 5 has turned into a disappointment with the compromises the tech giant made on its so-called flagship smartphone. The Pixel 5 comes with a mid-range chipset, a plastic and metal back panel, and omits the 3D face recognition system of its predecessor Pixel 4.

Despite the compromises, the Pixel 5 is still quite expensive with a price tag of $699, making the Pixel 4a 5G much more attractive. The Pixel 5 is one of the best mid-range Android handsets to buy thanks to the photography capabilities and Google’s promise of fast Android updates for three years. But it’s not an iPhone direct rival that anyone would expect from Google. And not just the iPhone 12, Google’s new flagship can hardly compete with older iPhones like the iPhone 11 and the iPhone SE 2020.

However, the Pixel 5 does offer a technology that no iPhones have got yet.

Google released support documentation for its new smartphone that you may not need right now as its shipment will begin in the coming weeks. However, as revealed in the document, you can see an overview of the phone with the location of its speaker and microphone.

The design of the Pixel 5 is much better than that of the Pixel 4. The sensors and components for the Soli radar system and 3D face recognition system resulted in a thick, ugly bezel on the Pixel 4, which has been changed on the Pixel 5.

The new Pixel phone sports an all-screen design that’s been used on some other Android devices. Its front panel is almost completely screen, featuring a hole-punch lens as well as a slightly thicker bezel on the bottom. Now, the top speaker lies under the screen, extending from edge to edge.

This isn’t an exclusive feature of the Pixel 5, though, as it’s been used on other Android smartphones. The LG G8 offered the Crystal Sound OLED panel that essentially turned the entire screen into a speaker. It’s not clear if the Google Pixel 5 tech works the same way but the iPhone lacks this feature, at least not yet.

For the record, Apple does not need this tech for now because its notch has already provided enough room for the top speaker. The upcoming iPhone 12 will come with the same display design as the iPhone 11 with a top-notch.