Skip to main content

Google Pixel 4 box hides augmented reality Easter egg: Here’s how to find it

Google hid an Easter egg in the boxes of the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, viewable in augmented reality through the Google Lens camera feature.

Google is no stranger to Easter eggs, with its search engine doing various things when entering queries such as “do a barrel roll,” “Atari breakout,” “Thanos,” and many others.

The Pixel 4 box Easter egg, however, serves a specific purpose.

To view the Easter egg, look at the back of the box of Google’s latest smartphone, which will feature the device surrounded by various objects. Point the Pixel 4 camera at the image with Google Lens activated to start the augmented reality show.

Pixel 4 Easter Egg

As shown by the video taken by 9to5Google, the Easter egg starts with colorful shapes and a “Welcome to #teampixel” message, followed by animations that differ slightly between the Just Black, Clearly White, and Oh So Orange color options for the Pixel 4. Pictures taken by the device’s camera then start scrolling through, behind an invitation to join the @googlepixel community on Instagram. Tapping anywhere on the screen brings up a Google Lens card that will launch said account.

While all of that is happening, the physical environment surrounding the Pixel 4 box remains on the smartphone’s screen. This makes the Easter egg a great demonstration of the capabilities of Google Lens and augmented reality, in addition to promoting the smartphone’s social media profile.

The Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL received mixed reviews from Digital Trends. Both smartphones feature excellent cameras, great performance, and smart software. However, their ratings were dragged down by mediocre battery life, which has been an issue with Google’s Pixel smartphones since they first launched in 2016.

Comparing the two versions, the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are basically the same smartphone, but in two different sizes and slightly different price tags. The two devices feature the same processor,  software, and special features, but the Pixel 4 XL edges out its smaller counterpart due to the extra screen space and bigger battery capacity. The Pixel 4 will still prove to be a very capable smartphone though, for people who prefer smaller phones or those who do not want to pay an extra $100.

Aaron Mamiit
Aaron received a NES and a copy of Super Mario Bros. for Christmas when he was 4 years old, and he has been fascinated with…
Does the Google Pixel 7a have a headphone jack?
Google Pixel 7a in Snow on a lamp post

The Google Pixel 7a is Google's latest addition to its midrange A-series smartphones. It's likely to be one of the best options for anyone who wants a strong handset with pure Android, solid performance, and an exceptional camera.

But we can't touch on the hardware without addressing one of the most common questions about any new smartphone. Namely, does the phone have a headphone jack? Smartphone manufacturers have been on a crusade against the venerable port in recent years, and the headphone jack has been excised from the vast majority of the phones you can buy today. So, does the Google Pixel 7a include a headphone jack, or will you need other ways to listen to music, audiobooks, and podcasts?
The Pixel 7a does not have a headphone jack

Read more
Does the Google Pixel 7a have wireless charging?
Google Pixel 7a in Snow on park bench

The Pixel 7a has landed, and it does quite a few things better than its predecessor. While it still has the 6.1-inch OLED display as last year's Pixel 6a, the Pixel 7a bumps the refresh rate up to 90Hz from the original 60Hz. You also have the newer Google Tensor G2 chip inside, plus a huge jump to 64MP on the main camera compared to the 12.2MP camera on the Pixel 6a.

But what about wireless charging? The Pixel 6a did not have wireless charging capabilities, so did Google learn its lesson by adding that feature to its next budget-friendly phone?
Yes, the Google Pixel 7a has wireless charging

Read more
The Google Pixel Tablet is here, and it’s a huge disappointment
The Google Pixel Tablet sitting upright on its charging dock.

A week before the Google I/O, I wrote about how the Pixel Tablet could be the make-or-break point for the Android tablet category. Using a non-iPad tablet for anything more than content consumption is a bummer. I expected Google to work on it and emphasize collaborating with developers to optimize apps for Android tablets.

But as it turns out, the Pixel Tablet was my biggest disappointment from Google I/O 2023.
Google knows Android tablets are bad

Read more