Google Returns Notification Light Feature with Pixel 11 Pro

Tech 5 sources 9 articles
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Google Returns Notification Light Feature with Pixel 11 Pro
Photo: Gizmodo
tech· A press review of 5 outlets

  1. You want an Android phone For those of us who find home in Android's ecosystem, the Pixel 11 Pro is undoubtedly a better buy than the iPhone 17 Pro. It brings all-new Android 17 features, a bigger main camera sensor for better photography and videography chops, a decent battery boost, a brighter screen, and more capabilities with the Tensor G6 chip. Google is also adding Camera Looks, a new feature that lets you create your own set of distinct film styles like iPhone's Photographic Styles. All of this is paired with the much-loved smooth Pixel UI experience.

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    CNET

    The Pixel 11 Pro XL competes closely with Apple’s $1,199 iPhone 17 Pro Max, which continues to hold up as the best premium iPhone on the market. While Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 18 series as early as September, the current model remains a formidable option for those planning to upgrade today.

  2. You want a notification light on your phone Google is bringing back my favorite long-forgotten, useful feature, the notification light, in a new form. The new Pixel 11 Pro series has HiLight, an array of ambient LED lights built around the camera's flash to "give you light-based communications on the back of the phone." So, when you keep your phone face down and receive a notification, you can know what it's about without turning the phone over.

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    CNET

    Besides making the Pixel 11 Pro XL’s camera bump slimmer this year, Google has also integrated a new HiLight LED that pulses colors based on who’s calling you or if you’re conversing with Gemini. It’s a modern interpretation of the notification LED found on BlackBerrys and old-school Android phones, and it could be even better if Google expands its customizability in the future. The iPhone 17 Pro Max doesn’t have this exact feature, but the Always-On Display option, as well as the Flash for Alerts toggle within the Accessibility settings, are decent alternatives for staying on top of notifications without waking up your phone.

  3. Why you can trust ZDNET 'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean? ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.

  4. Google says it's working on integrations with the Messages app -- which I'm guessing will be centered on favorited group chats and contacts -- but the company hasn't confirmed any other future plans, such as opening up to third-party apps and services.

From the margins

5 details only one outlet reported

Independent claims that didn't surface elsewhere in our corpus. Treat as supplementary — not corroborated across outlets.

  1. 01 Gizmodo

    Google may have accidentally leaked the first images of its next Fitbit wearable. In ads for the Pixel 11 series spotted by users on Reddit, the company included an unannounced fitness tracker or smartwatch that isn’t the Fitbit Air or the new Pixel Watch 5.

  2. 02 CNET

    If many of those aspects remind you of another big-sized phone, then that makes two of us.

  3. 03 ZDNet

    Gold and higher Play Store users are getting Pixel discounts. You can sign up for a Play Pass trial to get free gold status.

  4. 04 The Verge

    Apple’s changing its rules for data collection consent prompts after Germany’s Federal Cartel Office accused Apple of giving the prompts a design that favored its own apps. Apple’s App Tracking Transparency prompts reportedly cost social media apps nearly $10 billion when they launched with iOS 14.5, making cross-app tracking of users largely opt in. But as a designated “gatekeeper” under the EU’s DMA rules, it is facing additional scrutiny over whether the program provides a level playing field.

  5. 05 Engadget

    And does it even matter? No, your phone isn't listening to you without your permission. The idea that it might be is a shockingly difficult myth to dispel, given the fact that the alternative would seem to be that your phone is reading your mind. How else can you explain the ads you're seeing for that thing you never looked up online but did mention offhand to your coworker?

Assembled from 4 corroborated claims drawn from 5 independent outlets. Every passage above is taken verbatim — Dorothy doesn't paraphrase or summarize.

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Sources (5)

  • gizmodo
  • zdnet
  • verge
  • cnet
  • engadget

Original Articles (9)

Culture Google May Have Leaked Its Next Fitbit—Or Let AI Hallucinate It — Gizmodo
Consumer Pixel 11 Pro XL vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: I Compared Google and Apple’s Flagship Phones — CNET
Enterprise This Google Play Store trick saved me over $100 on the Pixel 11 Pro XL - here's how — ZDNet
Enterprise The Pixel's new 'HiLight' reminds me of the golden days of Android phones — ZDNet
Enterprise Google Pixel 11 Pro vs. Apple iPhone 17 Pro: How the new Pixel competes with its biggest rival — ZDNet
Enterprise Google Pixel 11 vs. Pixel 9: Why I'm considering the upgrade this year — ZDNet
Consumer Apple ordered to change app data consent prompts on iPhones and iPads — The Verge
Consumer What actually happens when you let apps track your activity? — Engadget
Consumer Turn on these settings to protect your Android phone from theft — Engadget