Technology
Google's Pixel 11 Pro shines on practical features while AI gimmicks disappoint
The latest Pixel excels with grounded tools like voice-to-text and smart photo capture, but ambitious features like HiLight and Proactive Assistance fall short of their promise.
The Verge
Google's pitch for the Pixel 11 Pro centers on helping users develop a healthier relationship with their phones, yet the device's most hyped features stumble where simpler, more focused tools succeed. The phone itself delivers solid hardware improvements, but software functionality is what truly sets it apart—when it actually works.
Hardware: Incremental gains with one big step backward#
The Pixel 11 Pro and its larger XL sibling bring modest upgrades to their predecessors. Screens now reach 3,600 nits of brightness, while charging speeds accelerate both over Qi2.2 wireless (up to 25W) and via cable. The telephoto camera gained a larger sensor for improved low-light performance, and base storage jumped from 128GB to 256GB. However, the entry-level model now ships with 12GB of RAM instead of last year's 16GB—a notable regression coupled with a $100 price hike to $1,099.
Overhyped features that underwhelm#
HiLight: A solution in search of a problem
Google replaced the temperature sensor with a multicolored LED hidden in the flash, designed to notify you of important events while your phone sits face-down. In reality, the feature supports only two things: animating when you're speaking with Gemini (face-down, which rarely happens), and glowing when favorite contacts call. For a feature presented as a game-changer, the execution borders on negligent. With only five selectable colors and no customization by app type, HiLight feels like a missed opportunity—customizable RGB LEDs once offered precisely this flexibility years ago.
Proactive Assistance: Temperamental and inconsistent
This suite of context-aware suggestions is meant to surface helpful actions when conversations hint at underlying tasks. When it works—like suggesting calendar checks during scheduling discussions—it's genuinely useful. But success requires extremely narrow conditions. Attempting to book a restaurant reservation only triggered an action when texts contained exact keywords like dates and times. More ambitious examples, such as automatically displaying flight details or finding requested photos, largely failed or produced inconsistent results. The feature also demands manual setup (toggling it on, connecting OpenTable), a friction point most users will miss. As one reviewer noted, "You need to be proactive to get Proactive Assistance to work."
