Ever since Nothing introduced its Glyph Interface, rear lighting on smartphones has been a design trend. Even the budget Ai+ Nova Ultra 2 launched in India recently with NxtHalo rear LED lighting. As per a new report, Google could be next. A new feature called "Pixel Glow" was spotted in Android Canary 2604, suggesting the upcoming Pixel 11 lineup could get its own rear light notification system.
What Is Google's Pixel Glow Feature?
Spotted first by 9to5Google, a recent APK teardown of the latest Android Canary 2604 release and Android 17 Beta 4 has revealed a new feature called Pixel Glow.
Previously referred to as "orbit", this hardware feature is described as "uses subtle light and colour on the back of your device to inform you of important activity when it's face down".
The settings menu for Pixel Glow introduces the feature as a way to "Stay in the moment without losing touch". In a nutshell, it will allow users to set up light animations at the back of the phone, and the lights will provide visual feedback during calls and when interacting with Gemini.
When is Pixel Glow Coming?
Because the feature seems to be baked into the latest Android 17 Beta 4 update and Android Canary 2604 build, the upcoming Pixel 11 series could likely be the first to arrive with Pixel Glow. However, we've seen Pixel 11 renders already, and didn't spot any additional hardware at the back.
But the source suggests that Google may integrate the lights in the existing design elements, such as in the G logo or within the iconic rear camera bar, much like the iQOO 15. In fact, an earlier Pixel 11 Pro case leak suggested a slightly extended camera bar on the Pixel 11 Pro, which could be due to the addition of Pixel Glow.
Besides, the latest report also notes that the hidden Pixel Glow feature first checks if the device type is Phone or Desktop. Furthermore, the latest Android releases also include an ic_laptop_light icon, hinting potentially at an upcoming laptop. With Aluminium OS development in full swing, Google may be working on a Pixel Laptop, but nothing can be said for sure at the moment.
Details about the feature and Google's upcoming devices are very scarce, but we expect more information to surface soon. Until then, stay tuned.
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