Google could bring back this Face ID hardware for the Pixel 11 — here’s what you need to know

3 weeks ago 4

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Google leaks always come fast and furious, and the Google Pixel 11 is no different, with a recent leak stating a change to how it'll use Face ID.

Google, in an effort to clear up as much screen space as possible, dropped the Infrared cameras that came with the Google Pixel 4. This handy little piece of hardware allowed for fast and secure authentication, even in the dark. However, a massive leak (via Android Authority) has revealed that we could see the device hardware return in the Pixel 11.

The last few generations of Pixel phones, starting from the Pixel 7, have used the front camera for facial authentication. However, infrared cameras work by using the heat generated by organisms to form an image and work even in the dark, would make the Face ID feature on the Pixel 11 much more versatile.

It seems this isn't the only change coming to Face Unlock, according to the leaked documentation. Apparently, the Google Tensor G6's image signal processor will be getting support for an under-display IR camera system. The chip contains a new "lite" front end, one of the main parts of an ISP, designed to make these kinds of systems better handled and drain less power.

We have seen a similar leak that informed us about a lot of the features of the Pixel 11. These include a wealth of new AI-based editing and drawing features. The device will also come with a vastly improved Night Sight feature that will work on the device, rather than requiring the cloud. The Google Pixel 11 will also be able to use its AI to increase the telephoto's zoom to 100x and a mention of some hardware improvements for the Pixel 11's cameras.

There's still a lot that we don't know about the Google Pixel 11, and we aren't likely to even see the device until 2026. As such, it's worth noting that, while the chip might support an under-screen IR camera, it doesn't necessarily mean the phone will be shipped with one.

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Josh is a staff writer for Tom's Guide and is based in the UK. He has worked for several publications but now works primarily on mobile phones. Outside of phones, he has a passion for video games, novels, and Warhammer.

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