After eliminating the phones which didn't meet our requirements, the finalists were ranked based on how well they scored in the key comparison points above, and with that, the following phones rose to the top. Last year, our second-place phone was the Google Pixel 3 XL. It only lost to the BlackBerry Key2, a phone built for enterprise and security, but not much else.
Fast forward to , and TCL has stopped selling BlackBerry phones , allowing this year's Pixel 4 XL to slide into first place as the best option still standing. Let me start by saying that when it comes to privacy and security, it doesn't matter if you get the Google Pixel 4 or 4 XL. There are no additional protections found in either variant, so opt for whichever phone best fits your hand size and budget. At the heart of the Pixel 4 XL's security is the Titan M chip, an enterprise-grade security module based on a similar chip used to protect Google's cloud data centers.
It handles all sensitive transactions such as mobile payments and apps targeting the StrongBox KeyStore API added in Android 9 , and it's physically separated from the SoC to further protect it. The map of your face used in the new 3D face unlock feature is also stored in the Titan M. When using this method of authentication, the new face capture is compared to the stored version in the Titan M security chip, minimizing any tampering opportunity.
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Even the lock screen passcode is verified within the Titan M. To ensure Titan M remains uncompromised, its firmware will never be updated unless you input your passcode. It even protects against bootloader tampering, the firmware in charge of starting up Android. Rollback protection, a feature that prevents hackers from downgrading your phone to an older and less secure version of Android, is also provided by the Titan M. Google has been aggressively hardening Android's security for the last few years. One of the biggest updates came in with Android 9, which included more than 12 major changes that specifically target privacy and security.
Android 10 has only expanded on this with improved location permissions and additional protections that change how apps can interact with your personal data — for example, apps can no longer read your clipboard under any circumstances. New to the Pixel series this year is 3D face unlock. With Android 10's native support for facial recognition, you can use this technology to authenticate yourself for sensitive transactions such as payments. As with Face ID, Google's facial recognition is more secure than other biometrics thanks to the detailed mapping of your face. You might think a phone made by Google shouldn't be considered a top pick for privacy, but none of the Pixel's extra features beyond those included with stock Android give Google any more access to your personal data.
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As with any phone or computer, if you use Google services, Google may record a history of that activity. But security is where this phone really excels. With Google's hardware- and software-based protections, you are relatively safe on the web. You're even protected against spam calls thanks to the AI-powered Call Screen features. Thanks to three years of full OS updates, protection will only get better over the life of the phone.
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Samsung has a long history of catering to enterprise users. To tap into this larger market segment, they had to improve their devices' security beyond the basics provided by Android. The result was Samsung Knox , a combination of hardware and software to provide deep-level protection that starts at the SoC. And while regular consumers don't have access to many of these features, they are available for any company you join with a BYOD policy. Samsung has joined Apple and Google in creating their own security chip specifically designed to manage sensitive transactions and isolate private data.
It is in this chip that Samsung manages Samsung Pass, Secure Folder, and many of its numerous security features. This key is unique to each device and is used, alongside the Secure Boot key, to detect any tampering with the operating system or bootloader. It is because of these keys that it is nearly impossible to flash custom software on the Galaxy S20 Ultra Exynos variant without tripping the Knox Counter, a hardware-based flag that activates once you attempt to load any custom recovery or firmware.
Once tripped, Knox is no longer available as the security and protection advertised by Samsung can no longer be guaranteed. Knox also includes Samsung Defex, a patch to the kernel that prevents root from being granted to apps even after root was successful. So even if you trip the fuse and forgo access to Knox, Knox is still protecting you. You can even mask profanity and enable sound labeling for things like laughter. Right now the feature works in English only, but more languages are coming soon, as is support for the Pixel 3 line and other Android 10 devices.
Tap that icon to toggle on or off Live Captions. These include waving over the phone to snooze an alarm, silence a call, or skip a song, as well as reaching to the phone to check notifications. As we note in our review, waving to snooze an alarm is a feature that we love for being way too easy. Meant to help you minimize distractions from your phone, Flip to Shhh puts your Pixel in Do Not Disturb mode when the phone is placed face down on a flat surface. With Android 10, Google officially switched over to gesture-based navigation by default.
Currently, there are still slide-over menus that would typically be accessed through a swipe back — the same gesture that now acts as a back function. These menus now must be accessed by tapping on the left edge of the screen and holding for a beat until you can pull to the right to access the menu hiding underneath. But, if you miss it, and the traditional three-button navigation bar, you can certainly get them back.
Note, you might have some trouble getting Google Assistant to work at the moment. On some other devices, this system can feel a bit awkward, but on the Pixel 4, it finally feels polished.
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Other useful features on Android 10 include Smart Reply for opening URLs and sending quick replies from notifications. Google also pushed privacy as a central part of Android 10 with much more advanced feature controls as well. Digital Wellbeing, the share menu, and notifications all got enhancements too. Google has also delivered some new features that can only be found on the Pixel 4 for now.
One of those is the new Pixel Themes app. This app can help you customize your device to fit your preferences. You can select a new font, a set of system icons, icon shapes, and even a system accent color. Another one of those exclusive features is the new Google Recorder app. On the Pixel 4, I encountered very few issues with Bluetooth headphones or car stereos.
Also, for the first time on a Pixel there are no strange bugs at launch either. Most Pixel releases have been plagued by some truly weird issues based on the software, but the Pixel 4 is basically free of that. From a hardware perspective, it works really well with fast and accurate reading almost every time.
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However, the more important part of face unlock on the Pixel 4 is how the software treats it which, unfortunately, is not as great. For one thing, Google has a glaring security flaw in the Pixel 4 which allows the face unlock system to verify even if your eyes are closed — meaning someone could unlock your phone while asleep. Thankfully, that will be fixed soon. Another glaring downside to this new system is how it works with apps. Google also made a big deal about its upgraded Assistant on the Pixel 4 leading up to its launch.
To get those faster speeds, Google shrunk the models needed to use Assistant down to MB, meaning they can be stored on the phone itself. Most of the commands I already use for Google Assistant already need to talk to the internet to gather data.
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Apps are fast and fluid, the UI is super smooth, and multi-tasking is free from issues too. By comparison, devices from Samsung, OnePlus, and others have been maxing out at over 1, nits when in super bright situations. This feature allows the display to refresh the content 90 times per second compared to 60 times on most other smartphones.
There is, however, a setting to force the 90Hz refresh rate at all times.
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