- Some leaked Pixel 11 marketing materials suggest that Pixel Glow could instead be called HiLight
- This new feature might work with both Gemini and notifications
- We’ve rated the likelihood of this and various other Pixel 11 series rumors
The Google Pixel 11 series is just a week away now, with the phones set for an August 12 launch. But as ever with phone launches, plenty of details have leaked in advance of that date, so we already have some idea of what to expect.
The latest of those leaks details a brand-new feature, reportedly dubbed HiLight, but we’ve heard all sorts of other things recently too about the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, and Pixel 11 Pro Fold.
So, below, we’ve listed the most interesting of the latest Pixel 11 leaks, and rated how accurate we think they are.
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1. New HiLight feature
Pixel Glow is officially called HiLight, I’d say.
— @rquandt.bsky.social (@rquandt.bsky.social.bsky.social) 2026-08-05T12:35:21.753Z
For a while now, we’ve been hearing that the Pixel 11 series might have lights on its rear panel, seemingly to power a feature previously thought to be called Pixel Glow. But now it seems that Pixel Glow might actually be called HiLight.
In a post on Bluesky, reputable leaker Roland Quandt has shared what appears to be an official French marketing image for the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, and it refers to this feature as HiLight, explaining (once translated) that “when your smartphone is face down, HiLight lights up discreetly when your favorite contacts call or when you chat with Gemini.”
So, it looks to be an evolution of the old-school notification light, though we still have questions about it — images show it displaying multiple colors, so we wonder whether specific colors or patterns can be set for specific kinds of notifications.
In any case, Google itself has officially teased this feature too, so while we can’t be 100% sure of the name, we’re certain that at least some Pixel 11 models will have lights on the back.
2. Higher prices
Not all of the Pixel 11 rumors are good ones, as we’ve also heard that these phones could have higher prices than their predecessors.
Specifically, according to Android Headlines, the Pixel 11 will start at $899, the Pixel 11 Pro at $1,099, the Pixel 11 Pro XL at $1,299, and the Pixel 11 Pro Fold at $1,899.
That, in all cases, represents a $100 increase on last year’s models, though in the case of the Pixel 11 and the Pixel 11 Pro, you’re also apparently getting a storage boost, with 256GB said to be the starting capacity rather than 128GB. The other two models, though, come with the same starting capacity as their predecessors according to this leak, so it would just be a straight price rise.
We don’t have UK or Australian price leaks, but we’d expect Google to apply increases globally. For reference, the Pixel 10 starts at £799 / AU$1,349 in those regions, the Pixel 10 Pro at £999 / AU $1,699, the Pixel 10 Pro XL at £1,199 / AU $1,999, and the Pixel 10 Pro Fold at £1,749 / AU $2,699.
So, if this leak is right, you can expect higher prices than that this year, and there’s a good chance this leak is correct, given the ongoing RAM price crisis.
3. New colors
(Image credit: 9to5Google / Amazon)
New models usually mean new colors, and the Google Pixel 11 series looks to be no exception, with a whole selection of shades having leaked on Amazon.
These include Midnight (black), Fuchsia (pink), and Moss (green) for the Pixel 11, Dune (a pale pink), Sterling (a grayish lavender), Pine (green), and Light Fog (a pale blue) for the Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL, and Midnight and Pine for the Pixel 11 Pro Fold.
Those — at least in terms of their names — are all different to what you’ll find with the Pixel 10 series, though in practice some of them will probably be similar.
Still, it’s a largely appealing bunch going by the pictures, with a mix of bright and understated shades. The leaked images of them look fairly official too, so there’s a good chance these are what we’ll get.
4. New chipset
The one spec upgrade you can be almost certain of in a new phone is that it will have an improved chipset, and so we fully expect the Pixel 11 series to replace the Pixel 10’s Tensor G5 chipset with a Tensor G6, and leaks agree.
From what we’ve heard across various leaks, this chipset could pair a significant upgrade in CPU performance with a rather small improvement in GPU performance. So, it might not be a complete home run for Google, but it should still deliver plenty of power overall.
5. Fewer cameras for the Pixel 11
As well as costing more, the Pixel 11 could have at least one spec downgrade compared to its predecessor, as Android Headlines reports that it will have just two cameras on the back — a wide and an ultra-wide, with no telephoto.
The Google Pixel 10 had these and a telephoto camera, so this would be quite a reduction in specs if it’s correct.
We would therefore take this rumor with a pinch of salt, since usually we expect upgrades from new models. But it might help Google keep the costs down in the face of rising component prices, and that would still keep it in line with a key rival in the iPhone 17, which also lacks a telephoto camera.
6. Less RAM
That’s not the end of the possible downgrades, as we’re also hearing from the same Android Headlines report that the Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL could come in configurations with just 12GB of RAM, whereas the Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL came with 16GB.
There will apparently still be 16GB models, but these will of course cost more, pushing prices up even higher.
A price increase combined with a RAM reduction could be a tough pill to swallow, but this is somewhat believable given that RAM pricing is increasingly out of control.
7. 120x zoom
Thankfully, there is still another major potential upgrade to talk about, as some Pixel 11 Pro marketing images shared by Evan Blass — a leaker with a superb track record — mention 120x zoom. And if the Pixel 11 Pro has this feature, the Google Pixel 11 Pro XL almost certainly will as well.
Now, this wouldn’t be an optical zoom, of course; instead, you can expect it to be some kind of AI-boosted digital zoom. And it’s a believable claim, since not only does the source have a great track record, but the Pixel 10 Pro series already offers 100x zoom.
Still, that extra 20x would mean these phones could zoom further than almost any other handset.
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