Pixel 4/4XL

[swintec]

can anyone comment on the unlocking of the device?

the face unlock makes me a bit nervous.  With fingerprint, i can quickly unlock it with one hand close to my lap, while driving and not even be looking down at the device.  i have a hard time believing the face unlock stuff can be as quick and easy as a fingerprint...am i wrong?

[Kevster1321]

Just got my unlocked pixel 4xl and noticed that it doesn't want to roam on Verizon and how can I check what band I'm on because it doesn't have a debug section .

[crazy_vag]

13 hours ago, Sprke said:

What is the trick for activating eSIM on this phone? I have been on the phone with Sprint for 45 minutes and they just want me to keep factory resetting the phone. So irritating. 

When I go to the network menu and tap the plus button, then Sprint, it comes up with an error that i can't be activated. The IMEI and EID number have all been entered in on Sprints end. I have the unlocked Pixel 4 XL. I have had no problem activating eSIM on the previous Pixels I've had so I kinda thought I knew what I was doing

I had that problem with my Pixel 3 XL a month before I got my Pixel 4 XL.  I'd just get an error on the eSIM side.  They made me reset network settings - which sucked since none of my Wi-Fi networks were restored on the Pixel 4 XL. - there's some posts from me about that on the Pixel 3 forum.

I think there's something bad in the way the Pixel 4 XL is entered into Sprint's system in a way that's not fixable.  You might need to get a physical SIM and hope for better luck on Pixel 5 XL.

[crazy_vag]

13 hours ago, Sprke said:

What is the trick for activating eSIM on this phone? I have been on the phone with Sprint for 45 minutes and they just want me to keep factory resetting the phone. So irritating. 

When I go to the network menu and tap the plus button, then Sprint, it comes up with an error that i can't be activated. The IMEI and EID number have all been entered in on Sprints end. I have the unlocked Pixel 4 XL. I have had no problem activating eSIM on the previous Pixels I've had so I kinda thought I knew what I was doing

I had that problem with my Pixel 3 XL a month before I got my Pixel 4 XL.  I'd just get an error on the eSIM side.  They made me reset network settings - which sucked since none of my Wi-Fi networks were restored on the Pixel 4 XL. - there's some posts from me about that on the Pixel 3 forum.

I think there's something bad in the way the Pixel 4 XL is entered into Sprint's system in a way that's not fixable.  You might need to get a physical SIM and hope for better luck on Pixel 5 XL.

[swintec]

On 11/26/2019 at 10:32 PM, swintec said:

can anyone comment on the unlocking of the device?

the face unlock makes me a bit nervous.  With fingerprint, i can quickly unlock it with one hand close to my lap, while driving and not even be looking down at the device.  i have a hard time believing the face unlock stuff can be as quick and easy as a fingerprint...am i wrong?

nobody has any opinions /comments on the face unlock?

[mikejeep]

nobody has any opinions /comments on the face unlock?

I was apprehensive about losing the fingerprint reader but after a few weeks I've forgotten about it. Face unlock is very fast. If my phone is on my dash mount and I glance over at it, it unlocks immediately. It's almost too sensitive for my preference.. I adjusted my settings so it will not unlock or wake up unless I tap the screen first.

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Tapatalk

[crazy_vag]

Yep. Unlocking is really fast and reliable.  It's almost too reliable since i sometimes hold my phone with palm touching the screen, and if I wave it at the right angle, it'll get unlocked and my hand will be activating things on the screen.

[though]

Can someone comment on the network speeds with their Pixel 4 XL compared to the Pixel 2 XL or Pixel 1 XL?

Trying to decide if upgrading would be worth it or not for me. Would really like to know it's Aggregation capabilities.

[ingenium]

Can someone comment on the network speeds with their Pixel 4 XL compared to the Pixel 2 XL or Pixel 1 XL?
Trying to decide if upgrading would be worth it or not for me. Would really like to know it's Aggregation capabilities.

All can do 3xCA B41. The Pixel 2 I think can also do 2xCA B25, along with the 4. Not sure about the 1.

Only the 4 can do 4x4 MIMO I think, but at least in Samsung markets Sprint isn't using rank 3 and 4 yet so there's no speed improvement with it, only improved signal quality. The 4 can do 256 QAM, but I'm not sure about the others. The 2 might be capable as well.

The 4 should also be able to do B25-41 and B26-41 CA. It's in testing in some markets, but there's no way to force it on Pixels unlike Samsung devices. Who knows when Sprint will actually push out the carrier provisioning to turn it on on devices.

The 4 can also do HPUE on B41, but in my experience HPUE doesn't help much. When the signal is low B41 is crap and sending messages can fail. It seems like it just makes the phone hold onto B41 past the point of being usable. The 4 can also do B41 2x UL CA I think, and the others can't.

Honestly, the only thing that would make a real world difference in my opinion is FDD-TDD CA, but it's almost certainly not live yet on the 4 (NSG isn't working on the 4 yet so no way to confirm, but I never saw FDD-TDD on the 3 and it should be capable of it as well). And the fact that the 4 supports wifi calling and VoLTE.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

[though]

13 minutes ago, ingenium said:

 

 

All can do 3xCA B41. The Pixel 2 I think can also do 2xCA B25, along with the 4. Not sure about the 1.

Only the 4 can do 4x4 MIMO I think, but at least in Samsung markets Sprint isn't using rank 3 and 4 yet so there's no speed improvement with it, only improved signal quality. The 4 can do 256 QAM, but I'm not sure about the others. The 2 might be capable as well.

The 4 should also be able to do B25-41 and B26-41 CA. It's in testing in some markets, but there's no way to force it on Pixels unlike Samsung devices. Who knows when Sprint will actually push out the carrier provisioning to turn it on on devices.

The 4 can also do HPUE on B41, but in my experience HPUE doesn't help much. When the signal is low B41 is crap and sending messages can fail. It seems like it just makes the phone hold onto B41 past the point of being usable. The 4 can also do B41 2x UL CA I think, and the others can't.

Honestly, the only thing that would make a real world difference in my opinion is FDD-TDD CA, but it's almost certainly not live yet on the 4 (NSG isn't working on the 4 yet so no way to confirm, but I never saw FDD-TDD on the 3 and it should be capable of it as well). And the fact that the 4 supports wifi calling and VoLTE.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
 

 

Thanks for the input. I'm essentially interested in the UL CA. 25+41, 26+41, 25+26. Not sure if any devices can do them but I would be happy if so.

[ingenium]

Thanks for the input. I'm essentially interested in the UL CA. 25+41, 26+41, 25+26. Not sure if any devices can do them but I would be happy if so.

The 4's SoC / modem is capable of all of those. It's possible that Google gimped the RF front end in a way that disables them (like they did with limiting MIMO streams), but they should all work. Generally Pixels support all CA combos that the SoC does.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

[though]

1 hour ago, ingenium said:

The 4's SoC / modem is capable of all of those. It's possible that Google gimped the RF front end in a way that disables them (like they did with limiting MIMO streams), but they should all work. Generally Pixels support all CA combos that the SoC does.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
 

they limited MIMO streams on the 4?

how can i get confirmation if the UL CA configurations are there and work before purchasing one??

[ingenium]

they limited MIMO streams on the 4?

how can i get confirmation if the UL CA configurations are there and work before purchasing one??

With 3xCA, I think the 3 and 4 are both limited to 4x4 on 2 carriers and then 2x2 on the third? Or else it's 4x4 on one carrier and 2x2 on the other 2. Basically neither can do 4x4 on all 3 carriers.

 

Since the engineering screens are basically broken, the only way would be to hope you have a good signal in a store and run a speed test on B41. See if the upload is higher than a single carrier can do. Or wait until NSG gets support for it and I can check and let you know.

 

I'll try to remember to run a speed test when I'm near a site and see what my upload is.

 

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

 

 

 

[though]

1 hour ago, ingenium said:

With 3xCA, I think the 3 and 4 are both limited to 4x4 on 2 carriers and then 2x2 on the third? Or else it's 4x4 on one carrier and 2x2 on the other 2. Basically neither can do 4x4 on all 3 carriers.

What would be the benefit/rational for limiting MIMO streams?
Do any other manufacturers also limit?
What are the real-world differences limiting vs not limiting?

Since the engineering screens are basically broken, the only way would be to hope you have a good signal in a store and run a speed test on B41. See if the upload is higher than a single carrier can do. Or wait until NSG gets support for it and I can check and let you know.

NSG???????

I'll try to remember to run a speed test when I'm near a site and see what my upload is.

That would rock. Do 5 or 10 speedtests comparing the N10/N10+ and the 4 XL and post results. Are you in a Samsung market? 

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

[ingenium]

 

No benefit for limiting streams, Google just cheaped out on engineering the RF front end.

NSG is Network Signal Guru. It's a root application that ties into the Qualcomm diagnostics port on the modem. It basically let's you see everything. Here's a screenshot showing 3xCA B41 from my Pixel 3 XL recently


Yes I'm in a Samsung market.

I don't have another device to test with simultaneously. But I believe B41 with 64 QAM upload maxes out around 12 Mbps. So if I can get 17-20 Mbps, then it's doing 2xCA. That speed isn't possible on a single B41 carrier unless 4x4 is used with rank 3 or 4.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

[though]

1 hour ago, ingenium said:

No benefit for limiting streams, Google just cheaped out on engineering the RF front end.

Can't imagine Goog would take a shortcut on their latest Pixel phones. They seem to be busting their ass to catch up/surpass Apple. Doesn't make sense to me.

NSG is Network Signal Guru. It's a root application that ties into the Qualcomm diagnostics port on the modem. It basically let's you see everything. Here's a screenshot showing 3xCA B41 from my Pixel 3 XL recently

Ah ok I remember trying that a long time ago. It's not supported on the 4 XL at the moment but it's being worked on??

Yes I'm in a Samsung market.

I don't have another device to test with simultaneously. But I believe B41 with 64 QAM upload maxes out around 12 Mbps. So if I can get 17-20 Mbps, then it's doing 2xCA. That speed isn't possible on a single B41 carrier unless 4x4 is used with rank 3 or 4.

Another member on the board, @Terrell352 (see link here) is pulling 37+ upload in the Denver market with his S10. If the 4 XL can do this too, I will get one ASAP. Just need confirmation 

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
 

 

[ingenium]

 

His speed is because of FDD-TDD CA. B25 is being used for upload, possibly with 4x4 and 64 QAM up.

The NSG developer doesn't have a Pixel 4 to test with. Someone sent him logs from trying to run it, and the developer basically said "wtf?". So the Pixel 4 is doing some weirdness. I'm pretty sure he'll be able to get it working whenever he gets a 4 to test with, but he's based in China and Pixels aren't exactly easy to come by there.

There was a similar issue with the 3 last year. I think he got it working around mid December, so fingers crossed that it's soon.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

[though]

14 minutes ago, ingenium said:

His speed is because of FDD-TDD CA. B25 is being used for upload, possibly with 4x4 and 64 QAM up.

Is this possible on the 4 XL?

The NSG developer doesn't have a Pixel 4 to test with. Someone sent him logs from trying to run it, and the developer basically said "wtf?". So the Pixel 4 is doing some weirdness. I'm pretty sure he'll be able to get it working whenever he gets a 4 to test with, but he's based in China and Pixels aren't exactly easy to come by there.

Understood. Ya fingers crossed for sure!

There was a similar issue with the 3 last year. I think he got it working around mid December, so fingers crossed that it's soon.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
 

 

 

[ingenium]

 

It's the same SoC and modem, so yes it's capable, unless Google did something with the RF front end to disable it.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

[though]

1 minute ago, ingenium said:

It's the same SoC and modem, so yes it's capable, unless Google did something with the RF front end to disable it.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
 

How/when can I find out

[ingenium]

How/when can I find out [emoji3][emoji3][emoji3]

Speed test when Sprint enables it, or with NSG once Sprint enables it. Or possibly FCC docs, but I don't know if they publish that. Lilotimz would know.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

[though]

Sprint must have it enabled it, at least, in the Denver market???

@lilotimz ??

[ingenium]

Apparently the Pixel 4 is capable of B25 + 2xCA B41 (3xCA total), no B26 + 1x B41, and 2xCA upload B41. So whenever Sprint enables it, it should work.

 

(Edited with correct CA combos)

 

 

 

 

[ingenium]

Sprint must have it enabled it, at least, in the Denver market???
[mention=4387]lilotimz[/mention] ??

It's not enabled on phones. He had to force enable it on his phone. Can't do that on Pixels. So we have to wait for Sprint to push the network config update to devices to tell them they can use it.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

[though]

1 hour ago, ingenium said:

It's not enabled on phones. He had to force enable it on his phone. Can't do that on Pixels. So we have to wait for Sprint to push the network config update to devices to tell them they can use it.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
 

Won't the option(s) to enable be in the *#*#DATA#*#* menu on the Pixel 4?

This is from my Pixel 2