1. Home >
  2. Phones

Pixel 4 Might Support 'Soli' Touchless Gestures

The Project Soli gesture control system has been pie-in-the-sky since its debut in 2015, but a report several months back confirmed Google was still working on the tech. Now, a new leak suggests it might become an integral part of the next Pixel phone.
By Ryan Whitwam
651074-pixel-4-leak
Google has shown off some wildly futuristic technologies at its annual I/O gathering, but most of them have faded into obscurity without ever appearing in a consumer product. The Project Soli gesture control system has been pie-in-the-sky since its debut in 2015, but a report several months back confirmed Google was still working on the tech. Now, a new leak suggests it might become an integral part of the next Pixel phone(Opens in a new window), PCMag reports. Soli originated with the Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) group, which Google kept when it sold off the rest of Motorola to Lenovo a couple of years back. ATAP is responsible for interesting but ultimately useless technologies like Jacquard touch fabric, Ara modular phones, and Tango 3D computer vision. Google tried to launch all three products, but they failed either in development or shortly after launch.  Soli uses a small radar chip to detect hand movements with much greater accuracy than existing systems based on cameras and motion sensors. In the original I/O demos, Google showed how Soli could enable buttons taps, scrolling, and volume controls without touching the phone.SEEAMAZON_ET_135 See Amazon ET commerce(Opens in a new window) For example, imagine turning a virtual knob to change the volume on your phone or tapping your thumb and forefinger to tap the screen.  In late 2018, the FCC permitted Google to operate the Soli in testing at higher than usual frequencies, even on aircraft. That told us Google was still working on Soli, and now there are some hints that the Pixel 4 will include a Soli chip. A leak of Pixel 4 screen protectors includes a large pill-shaped sensor window on the top right side (in that oversized bezel). Several sources suggest that's for Soli.  If the Pixel 4 does include Soli, that could justify the larger bezel at a time when most device makers are striving to shrink the bezel. That could also explain why Google only showed us the back of the Pixel 4 in its unexpected teaser on Twitter a few weeks back -- it's saving Soli for the big reveal.  Google's hardware announcements have happened in October for the last three years. So, that's probably when we'll find out if the Pixel 4 will indeed feature the consumer debut of Soli. Even if Soli does come to the Pixel 4, no one knows how well it will work. It would hardly be the first ATAP technology that didn't live up to expectations. Now read:

Tagged In

Project Soli Leaks Atap Pixel 4 Google

More from Phones

Subscribe Today to get the latest ExtremeTech news delivered right to your inbox.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of use(Opens in a new window) and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time.
Thanks for Signing Up