Leaked photos and early reports about Google's next flagship indicate the company may remove the Pro models’ built‑in temperature sensor and instead install a ring of rear notification LEDs being called “Pixel Glow.” The change is said to reclaim space on the camera bump and is expected to appear on the Pixel 11 Pro, according to the leaks.
The temperature sensor first shipped as a hardware feature and a dedicated thermometer app on the Pixel 8 Pro in 2023, and it remained on later Pro models including the Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL. That hardware presence made the thermometer a recurring distinctive feature across several Pixel generations. Leaks claim Pixel Glow will occupy the same camera bump area that housed the thermometer. The LED array is intended to surface notifications when a device is placed face down, creating a rear visual signal rather than a front‑facing indicator. Early images show a multi‑LED arrangement rather than a single status light.
The Pixel thermometer stood out because Google’s phones were effectively among the only mainstream flagships offering an onboard ambient or skin temperature sensor. The LED approach, visually similar to notification lights used by other makers and recently seen on devices from Nothing, seems designed to give the phone a recognizable look as many flagships converge on similar industrial designs.
Removing the sensor would have concrete effects for users. Coverage of the thermometer documented practical uses such as quick fever checks — with one reported comparison showing about a 0.3°C difference versus an in‑ear thermometer — checking road surface temperature for pet safety, and on‑the‑spot HVAC troubleshooting. Without the sensor, those shortcuts would disappear and users would need separate thermometers or external sensors for the same tasks.
The hardware change also affects developers and device integrations: eliminating the on‑device sensor removes a local data source for apps or workflows that relied on ambient or skin‑temperature readings. Leaks note Pixel Glow’s lights mainly operate when the handset is face down, which limits parity with the thermometer’s always‑available readings and may require new user flows or external inputs for existing features.
There has been no official confirmation from Google; the accounts are based on leaks and early imagery. Observers suggest the company might instead use always‑on display features or other UI cues to indicate notifications, but concrete specifications and final design choices should be confirmed when Google releases official Pixel 11 Pro details.
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