The Soli chip uses spectrum in the 60 GHz frequency range, which is currently not available for commercial use as per government regulations.
Tech enthusiasts, rejoice! The much-awaited and anticipated ‘Made By Google’ event, held in New York City, gave the world of tech a lot to talk about in the days to come. If the social media reactions are to be believed, the event managed to live up to the hype and expectations.
The products launched by Google - Pixel 4 and 4 XL, Pixel Buds 2, Google Nest Mini and Pixelbook 2 - generated a lot of buzz online. If you happened to miss the event, fret not! We have made a compilation of all the major announcements that happened at the event to keep you in the loop. Read on, and get yourself up to date.
Google took the wraps off the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL phones in New York on Tuesday, but fans of the smartphone in India will have to wait longer to upgrade. The new Pixel range will not be shipped to India on account of the Soli radar chip on the front of the phone.
The Soli chip, which powers the Motion Sense and Face Unlock features, uses spectrum in the 60 GHz frequency range, which at the moment is not available for commercial use as per government regulations.
“Google has a wide range of products that we make available in different regions around the world. We determine availability based on a variety of factors, including local trends, and product features. We decided not to make Pixel 4 available in India. We remain committed to our current Pixel phones and look forward to bringing future Pixel devices to India,” said an official communique released by the company.
Many countries have already removed the 60 GHz band from the list of licensed frequencies. India is yet to deregulate the 60 GHz band, also known as WiGig band as per the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ (IEEE) 802.11ad protocol.
The Motion Sense feature is currently operational in the U.S., Singapore, Taiwan, Canada, and most countries in the European Union (EU). Google’s fanbase will likely have to wait till early 2020 to lay their hands on the Pixel 4.
However, even if one buys a new Pixel device from overseas, the Motion Sense feature will be disabled when in a geography where the WiGig band is a licensed entity. India’s National Frequency Allocation Plan (NFAP) has disallowed the commercial use of the 60 GHz band in the country.
It remains to be seen whether this setback will affect the global sales numbers of the Pixel 4, given that India has one of the largest growing smartphone markets in the world. Earlier iterations of the Pixel were received favourably in India, earning a modest following, but not significant enough to dent the sales of rivals like Samsung and OnePlus.
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