We're hours away from the official unveiling of the new Pixel 11 series. Two days ago, news broke that the Pixel 11 Pro XL has already hit the black market, and now we're getting the results. First ever leaked hands-on image of the matte black version of the Pixel 11 Pro XL has surfaced online.
Pixel 11 Pro XL leaks in matte black
The leaked images show the Pixel 11 Pro XL in matte black. | Image by Pixel News Hub
The leaked images were first posted by @PixelNewsHub on X, later picked up by our friends at Android Central. These images give us a very good look at the back of the device, the dark grey color, and also the camera bump.
What's interesting is that among the images there's a retail box depicting the new "Dune" colorway with the sticker DEMO slapped on it. Some leaks refer to this color as "Coral" but it's hard to judge as colors look very different on images than in real life.
However, it's the all-black model that's shown up close, and that gives us a better look at the new LED notification hardware, dubbed HiLight.
What do you think about the new HiLight LED notification feature on the upcoming Pixel 11 series?
The HiLight notification LED is massive on the Pixel 11 Pro XL
The Pixel 11 Pro XL new LED notification feature. | Images by Pixel News Hub
Even though the Pixel 11 Pro XL features a very similar design to last year's model, there's one feature that's different.
Inside the camera bar there's a large white circle. Thanks to previous leaks, we know it's the new LED light, which is expected to double as a notification light.
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We haven't seen the feature in action yet, but I suspect it will be an RGB light glowing in different colors depending on the type of notification. Many gaming phones already use similar systems, even though they're placed at different spots on the phone's chassis.
A useful feature or a gimmick?
Pi
Pixel phones have had some really wacky and weird features over the years. Remember the Soli Radar air gestures on the Pixel 4? Or the built-in hardware thermometer available on the past couple of Pro models? The new notification LED is the latest addition to this list of wacky features.
On one hand, it's very useful to have visual cues for the different notifications, especially in loud environments or when your phone has to be silent. Just like the different notification sounds for mail, WhatsApp messages, SMS, etc., the HiLight feature shines with a different color depending on the app that triggered the notification.
The downside of this is that you will be able to see the notification only when the phone is face down. But then again, if the display is facing up, you would probably get even more information about what's going on. So, the jury's still out on this feature; I personally can't wait to test it in person.
People are not impressed with the HiLight feature
I went on Reddit to dip my toes into the Pixel subreddit and see from where the Pixel 11 winds are blowing. There are several threads about the new HiLight feature, and most comments are not very positive.
Can we stop adding useless features and focus on real improvements instead?
- user @lemikeone on Reddit
One user deems this future useless and asks for real improvements, while others draw similarities with the aforementioned Soli radar feature, again doubting the usefulness of the HiLight LED.
Remember Project Soli? Pepperidge Farm Remembers when Pixel used to at least try and make useful features, instead of gimmicks.
- user @smegmasupreme on Reddit
Some people correctly point out that there was an RGB notification LED on Nexus phones, and Google took that away, just to try and reinvent it now on the Pixel 11 series. What do you think about this HiLight notification feature on the Pixel 11 Pro XL? A useful feature or the next Pixel gimmick?
Read more about the upcoming Pixel 11 series here:
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Mariyan, a tech enthusiast with a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, brings a unique perspective to PhoneArena. His childhood curiosity for gadgets evolved into a professional passion for technology, leading him to the role of Editor-in-Chief at PCWorld Bulgaria before joining PhoneArena. Mariyan's interests range from mainstream Android and iPhone debates to fringe technologies like graphene batteries and nanotechnology. Off-duty, he enjoys playing his electric guitar, practicing Japanese, and revisiting his love for video games and Haruki Murakami's works.
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