Pixel Glow could be more capable than thought. | Image by PhoneArena
Android 17 Beta 4 revealed an upcoming feature for the Pixel 11 series called "Pixel Glow." The latter appears to be an LED notification system that sends pulses of color and subtle light to the back of a Pixel, informing you about something important while the device is face down.
Pixel Glow might feature eight different colors
According to tipster AssembleDebug, Google is working on creating a diagnostic test for the LED colors. Strings of code discovered by the tipster include the following:
The LED lights will turn into red, green and blue in order. Please flip the device to observe.
A lightbulb that will change color in the test.
Certain colors could represent different types of notifications
But now it looks as though the three colors that were mentioned in the strings of code aren't telling the whole story. While 9to5Google was able to confirm the diagnostic test code found by AssembleDebug, it also discovered that Google is using eight LEDs for Pixel Glow. It also stumbled on a code string detailing an apparent error message that reads, "Not all 8 Color LED lights are found."
If Pixel Glow does have the capability of showing eight different colors, it means that the feature could play a far more significant role for Pixel users as certain color glows will represent different types of notifications. Perhaps Pixel users will have the option of deciding the color that appears for a particular notification such as a message from a specific contact.
Leaked animation reveals A Gemini tie-in with the feature
A leaked animation shows what the Pixel Glow feature might look like on a rumored Pixel Laptop, and it includes the Gemini icon. This would seem to indicate that AI will be involved to some degree with this.
The inspiration for Pixel Glow might have come from one of the newest Android phone brands
It's interesting that the return of an older Android feature might have been partially inspired by one of the most well-known new additions to the Android family. That would be Carl Pei's Nothing brand, known for its Glyph interface on the rear of the phones that use LED light patterns to pass information to the user.
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Still from animation showing Pixel Glow on laptop found in the Google app. | Image by 9to5Google
Adding a Pixel Glow feature would be a brilliant move by Google since it is the kind of feature that most will love and shouldn't be a problem for others. We would expect that Google will add a toggle that would allow users to disable the feature if they are not using it.
We should see the Pixel 11 series unveiled sometime in the middle of August. Also, the annual Google I/O developer conference will take place on May 19-20 at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California. The keynote will take place on May 19 at 10 AM PDT.
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Alan, an ardent smartphone enthusiast and a veteran writer at PhoneArena since 2009, has witnessed and chronicled the transformative years of mobile technology. Owning iconic phones from the original iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, he has seen smartphones evolve into a global phenomenon. Beyond smartphones, Alan has covered the emergence of tablets, smartwatches, and smart speakers.
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