Google Launches Pixel 11 Pro HiLight With 2 Functions, Drawing Criticism
Updated
Updated · 9to5Google · Aug 16
Google Launches Pixel 11 Pro HiLight With 2 Functions, Drawing Criticism
3 articles · Updated · 9to5Google · Aug 16
Summary
HiLight debuts on all three Pixel 11 Pro models with just two launch uses: signaling calls from favorite contacts and showing when Gemini is active.
Google acknowledged at its Pixel 11 event that the rear LED should work with text messages, but that capability is missing at launch, fueling complaints that the feature feels unfinished.
Critics also argue the LED should function as a customizable notification light for apps, saying the current call-focused design undercuts Google’s push toward younger users who rely more on messaging.
The backlash echoes earlier Pixel feature rollouts, including the Pixel 8 Pro temperature sensor, which launched with limited utility before later updates and was then dropped on the Pixel 11.