Android 10 code find corroborates that Pixel 4 will have 90Hz display

Kyle Bradshaw | Sep 5 2019 - 8:45 am PT

Last month, our Stephen Hall exclusively reported almost the entire spec sheet for the Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. One of the most exciting details first uncovered there, the inclusion of a 90Hz display on both Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, possibly branded as a “Smooth Display,” has now been corroborated by a piece of code uncovered in the Android Open Source Project.

Following the release of Android 10 to Pixel phones (and more), Google also posted the source code for this latest version of Android online. In digging through the significant number of code changes, the folks at XDA-Developers found an interesting commit talking about 90Hz displays.

By itself, the code means very little, as there are a growing number of Android phones capable of displaying with a 90Hz refresh rate. However, in a comment surrounding the code, a Googler seemingly outs the Pixel 4 series — referred to as “P19 devices” — as having a 90Hz display.

The switch in settings should only be available to P19 devices, if they are opted into 90Hz fishfood.

The comment refers to the Pixel 4’s capability to support 90Hz as being “fishfood.” In many tech companies’ testing processes, there’s usually a “dogfood” stage where employees test products shortly before releasing to the public. Google includes a step before this, called “fishfood” where things are in too rough of a state to call it “dogfood” yet. Judging from the date of the code change, this means Google has been testing the 90Hz display on the Pixel 4 since at least February.

Having a Googler all-but-confirm the 90Hz display in Pixel 4 corroborates the validity of our source. This same source provided us with finer details about both the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, including the battery size, storage options, and some of the rear camera features.