It was presented as the next big thing during the Pixel 4 announcement; Motion Sense. It should revolutionise the way we interact with our phones. It turned out to be just a gimmick and a battery drainer. That combined with disappointing sales of the Pixel 4 results in Motion Sense not returning to the Pixel 5.
After a flying start Google's Pixel phone series is becoming more and more disappointing. Yes the cameras are above average but the huge lead Google had is gone. Moreover, new models are plagued by numerous problems. Defective microphones, reboot loops and blue display screen hues. Not to mention deliberate design choices such as too small batteries.
.The disappointing Pixel success has already led to consequences on the work floor. A few high-ranking employees have left the company. Now that Motion Sense is not the success it hoped for, it is suggested to be a one time adventure. The upcoming Pixel 5 will not get it, according to the rumour today. Instead, Google is likely to match other phone manufacturers and go with a more modern design with thin screen edges.
End for Project Soli?
For Google this will be a disappointing setback. It worked many years on perfecting and miniaturising 'Project Soli' to fit into a phone. Motion Sense could be used to mute your alarm clock and scroll thru your music. Many early reviews concluded it as too unreliable and gimmicky. Google also struggled to get the radar technology approved for every country where it sold its phones. It remains to be seen if this is the end for Project Soli. Google has plenty of other products where it could be applied.
Photo: PhoneDesigner
