Reviving Nostalgia: The Pixel 11 Pro’s LED Lights Shine with Retro Android Charm

Google recently released an animation showcasing its upcoming Pixel Glow feature, shedding light on its design. The feature appears to be a modern take on an old favorite—the notification LED, which was popular before the era of always-on displays.

In the past, numerous Android devices utilized a color-changing LED to relay simple information with the screen off. Major brands like LG, HTC, and Samsung incorporated this feature, using various colors and light patterns for notifications. Based on preliminary glimpses, it seems the Pixel Glow will serve a similar function.

While this is an exciting feature, it also highlights an intriguing aspect of modern smartphones: one of the standout characteristics of the Pixel 11 Pro is a reimagined version of a feature that was once very common in the early 2010s.

Google is not the first to give a fresh spin to the notification LED. The Nothing Phone launched in 2022 with its impressive Glyph lights as a signature feature. While Nothing embraced a more maximalist approach with multiple LED strips, Google’s version is a more subdued design.

The Pixel Glow feature appears to be a small circular area, likely situated where the thermometer has been in previous models, possibly integrated with the camera flash. It may have the capacity to display various colors simultaneously, allowing for dynamic patterns to signal various alerts when the phone is placed face down.

While the theory behind this is promising—reference code for Pixel Glow indicates notifications for favorite contacts—it’s unclear how flexible it will be compared to traditional notification LEDs that allowed customizable color settings for different app alerts. There are hints that Pixel Glow will be closely integrated with Gemini, suggesting limited functionality at launch.

Nonetheless, I remain optimistic that Pixel Glow will offer the kind of customization earlier notification LEDs did; I’m always on the lookout for ways to minimize my screen time.

The expectation of new phones being significantly more advanced year after year has diminished. The Pixel 11 series is expected to feature the Tensor G6 chipset, potentially boosting performance, yet users might not notice a drastic difference, as previous models like the Pixel 10 still operate smoothly today. The smartphone experience seems to have reached a plateau.

Thus, it makes sense for Google to differentiate the Pixel 11 series in visually pronounced ways, especially since it carries forward the design language established in the Pixel 9. Drawing inspiration from older models presents an interesting strategy. One can only hope that Pixel Glow serves a more genuine purpose than simply promoting Gemini.

The announcement of Pixel Glow gives me some optimism; revisiting outdated smartphone features may pave a new direction for Google. While it’s unlikely that future models like the Pixel 12 will bring back the 3.5mm headphone jack or expandable storage, it’s refreshing to see the company exploring unique ideas, even if they are rooted in the past.