Google’s HiLight LED is starting to light up for more than just phone calls and Gemini on the Pixel 11 Pro, Pro XL and Pro Fold. The multicolored light will now glow when your preferred contacts text you in Google Messages, as part of a new Pixel Drop update announced on Tuesday.
I was pretty harsh about HiLight when it debuted on Google’s higher-cost phones as a “Pro” feature. While it hearkens back to the days of the BlackBerry notification light, which is a good thing, its limitation to just lighting up in one of five colors for your preferred contacts’ phone calls or a color swirl for the Gemini assistant made the feature’s introduction feel half-baked. Third-party apps that offered way more control over the LED made this even more glaring, including support for more colors along with app-specific customizations.
Google representatives at the launch of the Pixel 11 did say that HiLight will continue to get new features, and adding text message support is the right step toward making the light more useful. Hopefully, in time this will expand to other features that the BlackBerry of years gone would light up for, like email and app notifications.
Tuesday’s Pixel Drop also brings several of the new features that debuted on the Pixel 11 over to last year’s Pixel 10, such as Rambler for improving voice dictation and Gemini Intelligence for proactive suggestions based on information shown on your screen. For that latter feature, this should mean quick links to a feature like Google Maps when discussing dinner plans with a friend.
Google’s also gearing up to release the Pixel Tag item tracker on Wednesday and announced that Google Fi is adding multi-network support to improve cellular connections.
The HiLight circle glows peacefully when Gemini is activated.Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Mike Sorrentino
Senior Editor
Mike Sorrentino is a Senior Editor for Mobile, covering phones, texting apps and smartwatches -- obsessing about how we can make the most of them. Mike also keeps an eye out on the movie and toy industry, and outside of work enjoys biking and pizza making. See full bio
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