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I’ve been a Google phone fan for 10 years – here’s my 5-part wish list for the Pixel 11

Mosegas 17 hours ago

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I’ve been a Google phone fan for 10 years – here’s my 5-part wish list for the Pixel 11

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Google will officially launch the Pixel 11 on Aug. 12.
The new Pixel Glow feature could be a highlight.
Pixels need an AI kill switch and better magnet accessories.

Google has officially scheduled the Pixel 11 event — August 12. In less than a month, we’ll see what Google has in store for us this year, including the redesigned Fold, the Pixel Watch 5, and the Pixel 11 phone lineup with Pixel Glow. Pixel Glow is a multi-colored LED light feature on the back of the phone. At first it was thought that this might be a line of light around the camera bar, but the latest leak shows a circular light occupying the current position of the flashlight.

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I’ve been a Pixel user since the first phone was released in 2016, and I’m still firmly on the Google team. However, I feel like the Pixel phones are starting to get old compared to the new powerhouse they used to be. Google is promising a lot with its next phone series, and while I know some (maybe even most) of my wish lists won’t come true, here’s what I’d like to see at the Pixel 11 event.

What I want from the Pixel 11

1. Find a way to store the thermometer

First introduced with the Pixel 8 Pro in 2023, the built-in thermometer has become one of my favorite Pixel features. I use it for a quick check when my kids aren’t feeling well, and it comes in handy a few times when I’m out with family or friends and someone wonders if they might have a cold. It’s a great “check what my phone can do” trick, and I can’t count how many times someone asks how I did it.

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Several leaks of the upcoming Pixel 11 Pro indicate that the temperature sensor is being dropped to make room for the Pixel Glow feature. It’s not clear yet which phones will get Glow (at least the Pro), but I hope Google can find a way to finally make these two features coexist when the new glowing lights come to the entire Pixel 11 lineup.

2. High performance of the Glow feature

If Google is going to kill my beloved Pixel Glow feature, I hope it’s not just a notification light show. The new lights look cool, and it seems like this could be a good way to keep your phone out of your hands (by deciding whether a colored notification is worth paying attention to), but I’d like to see Google find the best use of the light — functions like a camera timer, charging status indicator, connecting Android notifications “At a glance” to see how close your light is, or how close your photo delivery is.

3. Lots of Pixelsnap accessories

If there’s one area I’m jealous of Apple, it’s the MagSafe accessories. I’ve added a regular metal ring to my phone case and a magnetic holder in my car, and I like to snap my phone out of sight when I need it. Google introduced this to the Pixel 10 lineup with Pixelsnap, but I want to see more than just a charger and stand.

4. Add AI kill button

While I don’t have all of the AI on my phone, I do use some of the Pixel 9 Pro’s AI features (ie photo editing, video boost, and Gemini). As companies continue to inject AI into every corner of our technology, some consumers are starting to push back. If Google could put in an AI kill switch — something like “Local processing only” or “Classic Mode,” it could win over some of those fans. Put it as a privacy measure, or as a way to save battery life — users should have a way to turn off AI entirely.

5. Focus on lithium-ion batteries

Many phone manufacturers, especially Motorola and OnePlus, have abandoned traditional lithium-ion batteries for silicon carbon. Big names, however, like Apple, Samsung, and Google, are yet to follow. The switch to silicon carbon could not only fix the battery problems that have plagued Google phones for years now, but it will also allow for a larger battery capacity without making the device bigger (for comparison, these manufacturers can fit batteries of 6,000mAh to 7,300mAh while Google comes out with 5,100mAh). This will lead to higher production costs and a new supply chain, but it will put Google ahead of the pack.