The official unveiling of the Google Pixel 11 series is just over a week away, and the leaks and rumors keep spilling out. The latest leaks show a new, multicolored notification light on the back of the phone next to the camera setup. Google has teased the new feature in short YouTube videos released previewing the official event, which is on Aug. 12.
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard of this feature, dubbed Pixel Glow in previous rumors, but the latest leak replaces that name in favor of the less interesting HiLight. The feature itself hearkens back to the old days when many Android phones and BlackBerry devices shipped with notification LEDs. This time around, Google’s putting a bit of a spin on the feature.
On Monday, Roland Quandt of tech site WinFuture shared a post on BlueSky with an image that appears to be official French-language marketing material, showing the Pixel 11 Pro Fold and detailing the new feature.
The text translates as, “When your smartphone is face down, HiLight lights up discreetly when your favorite contacts call or when you chat with Gemini.”
HiLight replaces the temperature sensor introduced in previous Pixel devices. While the earlier sensor saw limited real-world use, HiLight is better positioned as a feature users can benefit from more consistently in everyday use. Still, there’s a reason some people choose to keep their phone face down in public. It helps avoid distractions and prevents notifications from constantly demanding their attention. By making this feature a default part of the experience, Google effectively removes that option unless users can disable it entirely.
What is interesting about HiLight is that it appears to be a very small display rather than a static, multicolored LED. Many of the phones from Nothing Technology have LEDs that light up for notifications and timers, and perhaps HiLight will have its own customizations.
It remains to be seen whether HiLight will be able to work with other apps beyond favorite contact notifications and interactions with Gemini. Developers may have to provide support within their own apps for the feature to work, which could take time and adding support for a single feature on a single family of phones isn’t necessarily the most compelling reason for them to do so.
We’ll learn more about the Pixel 11 family and all of its new bells and whistles next week at Made by Google 2026. We can also expect the debut of the Pixel Watch 5, which has already been spotted in, of all places, the Caribbean Sea.
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