The Pixel 4 could let you skip songs with a wave − unless you use Apple Music

Google is expected to launch the Pixel 4 next month, and one of its most intriguing features is Motion Sense technology. According to a new report, you’ll be able to use it to control music from a multitude of apps, but − cue gasps − potentially not Apple Music.

A teaser video published by Google at the end of July shows a user skipping tracks on the phone by waving her hand in front of the screen. Like so…

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9to5Google has managed to gain access to the Motion Sense app, and reports that nine apps are listed as ‘Supported Apps’. These are the following:

• Amazon Music
• Deezer
• Google Play Music
• iHeartRadio
• Pandora
• Spotify
• Spotify Stations
• YouTube Music
• YouTube

The headline news is the absence of Apple Music. However, we won’t know for sure that it isn’t supported until Google pulls the covers off the Pixel 4 on October 15.

While motion control always tends to look slick and convenient in promotional materials, it’s one of those things that could easily come across a bit naff in reality.

“For the past five years, our Advanced Technology and Projects team (ATAP) has been working on Soli, a motion-sensing radar,” Pixel product manager Brandon Barbello wrote in a blog post in July.

“Radar, of course, is the same technology that has been used for decades to detect planes and other large objects. We’ve developed a miniature version located at the top of Pixel 4 that senses small motions around the phone, combining unique software algorithms with the advanced hardware sensor, so it can recognize gestures and detect when you’re nearby.”

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He continued: “Pixel 4 will be the first device with Soli, powering our new Motion Sense features to allow you to skip songs, snooze alarms, and silence phone calls, just by waving your hand.”