Google Unveils Pixel 11 Lineup with ‘HiLight’ glow notifications and improved Gemini Intelligence

At their event in the US, Google has announced the next generation of Google Hardware with the Pixel 11 series unveiled alongside the Pixel Tag and Pixel Watch 5. 

The new Pixel 11 series will again include four phones, the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL, as well as an updated foldable, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold. 

The new Pixel 11 series are the most durable yet, with improved drop resistance and more scratch resistant Super Actua displays. On the rear, you will find a slightly re-designed camera bar across the rear, which includes edge-to-edge glass that flows into the metal frame. 

There are improved displays across the Pixel 11 Pro models, which now feature super-bright 3,600-nit Super Actua displays, while the Pixel 11 Pro Fold unfolds to a 20% brighter than before 8-inch Super Actua Flex display.

The Pixel 11 series will introduce a range of new colours, to complement the usual Black (Obsidian) and White (Frost) options – with the Pixel 11 picking up a gorgeous Hibiscus option alongside Pistachio. 

The Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL will also get a Black (Obsidian) model with their white model coming in ‘Fog’. The Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL will also get new colours Canyon and Olive. 

The Pixel 11 Pro Fold will, as usual, only come in two colourways – Obsidian and Olive.

Hardware

The Google Pixel 11 series is powered by the latest generation Tensor G6. The processor is now 20% more power efficient, and loads apps and browses the web faster than ever before. 

Google will include 12GB of memory on Pixel 11, while the Pro models will have 16GB of RAM and they’ve increased the base range storage across the Pixel 11 series to 256GB, with up to 1TB of storage across the Pixel 11 Pro models. 

The new silicon brings new improved Imaging Signal Processor (ISP), for the Pixel Camera which remains relatively the same across the board with a few tweaks to sensors. 

The Tensor G6 will bring faster processing as well as powering new features including Magic Capture, and the improved 120x Pro Zoom on the Pixel 11 Pro models delivering sharp detail at extreme distances and 30x Super Zoom on Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro Fold. 

Magic Capture harkens back to Google’s AI powered ‘Clips’ camera, though this time around it’s a new mode in the camera app which analyses a video, pulling out high-quality photos in HDR+ quality – capturing things like a moment with a nice smile or a fun moment with pets.

The Pixel Camera will also have faster low-light photography with Instant Night Sight delivering shots up to 4.5x faster. 

The Pixel 11 series has seen improvements on the battery front, including upgrades to the Wireless charging with Qi2.2 supported across the series, delivering 25W wireless charging through compatible chargers, which includes Google’s Pixel Snap chargers.

Pixel 11 Series Comparison

HiLight

Inside the camera bar, Google has replaced the temperature sensor on the Pixel 11 Pro models with a new feature called HiLight – sorry Pixel 11.

Google describes HiLight as ‘an array of ambient LED lights built around the camera’s flash to give you light-based communications on the back of the phone’. 

Similar to the notification LEDs of yore, HiLight will glow gently in a range of colours and ways to give a visual cue to pick up your phone – or leave it alone, giving you a quick visual indicator of what a notification is and its importance.

HiLight is integrated with both the Phone app and WhatsApp with LEDs notifying you of important calls, even if you have your Pixel face down using the Flip to Shh feature. The LEDs can also give you an indication of when Gemini is ‘listening, thinking and responding’. 

Gemini

Google announced earlier this year that Gemini Intelligence was coming, and with the Pixel 11, powered by Tensor G6 – it’s here. 

Gemini Intelligence expands on Magic Cue from the Pixel 10, becoming a more pro-active assistant. It’s opt-out by default, but once enabled it can pull relevant information from your favourite apps and show it where you need it. 

It will also be easier to talk to your phone, with the Rambler update. This will make it easier to have Gemini do things by letting you speak naturally to your phone, taking out those gaps with “ums,” “ahs” and “likes” in your conversation if they’re not needed.

Android

The Pixel 11 series will arrive with Android 17 on-board which launched earlier this year. 

Google has announced that just like previous Pixel phones, the Pixel 11 series will receive seven years of OS, security and Pixel Drop updates from launch.

Pricing and Availability

The Pixel 11 series is available to pre-order from today through the Google Store, as well as retailers and telcos. Devices will be on-sale from August 20th. 

Google says they will include 6-months of their Google AI Pro plan (a 7 value, exclusions apply) with any purchase of the Pixel 11 Pro or Fold model. This brings expanded usage limits in Gemini, 5 TB of cloud storage and Google Health Premium.