Google’s upcoming Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL have long been rumored to sport 90Hz displays, and the Android 10 source code now seemingly confirms those rumors. According to XDA, the code-base contains several commits related to high refresh rates, including a tell-tale comment that claimed the option to switch on 90Hz ‘should only be available to P19 devices’, where P19 is believed to refer to the Pixel 2019 lineup.
Apart from that, the code-base is also said to be littered with references to 90Hz displays, including many such mentions in SurfaceFlinger, a system service ‘responsible for compositing app and system surfaces into a single buffer for the display controller’. Google is also believed to be planning to include the refresh rate overlay as a Developer Option in Android 10. The code also apparently revealed that the Pixel 4 will be able to detect when a video is playing so as to automatically adjust the refresh rate.
Rumors about 90Hz displays in Google’s Pixel 4 lineup first popped up last month, when a report from 9to5Google claimed that the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL will feature 90Hz ‘smooth displays’ like the OnePlus 7 Pro. It’s not immediately clear as to how the high-refresh displays will affect the battery life in these devices, but Google will be hoping that it will be able to limit the damage by automatically adjusting the refresh rate.
The Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are expected to be launched next month with a number of high-end features including 90Hz refresh rates. Google has already confirmed that the phones will have hardware-based facial recognition like iPhones and a Soli radar chip for Motion Sense air gestures. They should both launch with Android 10 out-of-the-box.
