Google will formally unveil this year’s Pixel lineup at an event on August 12. As is often the case before one of the company’s hardware showcases, Google has been teasing what’s in store. It offered up a brief peek today at the Pixel 11 Pro in a video that hinted toward a new feature related to the camera bar.
A voiceover notes that people use their phones to access Google services such as Gmail, Maps, Search, Calendar and Gemini. True enough. However, the title of the video hints at “the next obvious move” without revealing any real detail.
The clip focuses on the Pixel 11 Pro’s camera array, which contains three lenses. So far, so normal. Next to those sensors, though, is some kind of circular indicator with spinning colors. Hmmm…
It brings to mind the rainbow pinwheel from Macs, which might mean the feature could be some sort of visual cue about something processing on the Pixel 11. Of course, beyond our own speculation, there is nothing concrete to share here since, like I said, Google hasn’t actually revealed any real details. For what it’s worth, rumors indicated that Google might latch onto an idea from the Glyph interface from the Nothing Phone and offer color-coded notifications.
There’s perhaps a bit more to this than it being an indicator of Gemini doing some on-device processing in an attempt to piece together words or visuals that ostensibly make some kind of logical sense even if they’re not exactly accurate. I would guess that “the obvious next move” might have something to do with mixed reality, given Google’s latest push into that space.
In terms of what else to expect from the Pixel 11 series, rumors suggest the Pro model will have a 6.3-inch display with a peak brightness of 3,600 nits. It’s expected to run on a Tensor G6 chipset. A leaked retail listing indicated the device will be available in three colorways — a pink-beige option, a forest green visage and a gray-lavender look.
It’s not quite clear what upgrades, if any, the cameras will get. Given all of the chaos caused by AI-driven demand for RAM, storage and chips, it’s likely that the Pixel 11 phones and Pixel Watch 5 will be more expensive than last year’s models too.
All that said, I’ll admit today’s tease has left me intrigued. We’ll presumably find out what this thing is all about in a couple of weeks. If it’s just some Gemini thing, though, I will be annoyed.
