Updated

Updated · 9to5Google · Jul 17

Google Reportedly Improves Pixel 11 Face Unlock as Pixel 11a Leak Details 8GB RAM

Updated

Updated · 9to5Google · Jul 17

Google Reportedly Improves Pixel 11 Face Unlock as Pixel 11a Leak Details 8GB RAM

Q: As the Pixel 11 launches next month, is its improved Face Unlock software-based or finally new hardware?

Most likely, the Pixel 11’s improved Face Unlock is software-based, not the long-rumored new hardware system. That is because the strongest recent reporting still says Google’s IR-based face unlock project, known as “Project Toscana,” was not ready for the Pixel 11. Multiple leak summaries point in the same direction: the dedicated hardware that was supposed to bring iPhone-style infrared face authentication and stronger low-light performance is expected to miss this generation. The new claim ahead of launch is narrower. A source says Face Unlock on the Pixel 11 will be “faster, more secure and accurate in low-light,” but there is no clear evidence that Google has suddenly finished and included the missing IR hardware. Without that confirmation, the safer reading is that Google has improved its existing camera-based system through software tuning, likely using better image processing, machine learning, and Tensor G6 optimizations. There is still some uncertainty because the low-light claim is exactly the kind of benefit expected from dedicated hardware, not just software. So a late hardware change cannot be ruled out entirely. But based on the available leaks, the balance of evidence suggests the Pixel 11 will launch without the new IR face unlock hardware, and any improvements users see next month are more likely to come from software refinements.

Q: Is the Pixel 11 sacrificing gaming power for AI smarts with its new Tensor G6 chip?

Yes. Based on the leaks, the Pixel 11’s Tensor G6 looks designed to prioritize AI, efficiency and security more than top-tier gaming performance. The clearest evidence is the chip mix. Tensor G6 is rumored to bring a major CPU and efficiency upgrade through TSMC’s 2nm process, plus a dual-TPU setup for on-device AI and new imaging hardware for features such as advanced computational photography and video effects. It also adds the Titan M3 security chip and a MediaTek M90 modem, both of which point to better security, thermals and battery behavior. The likely compromise is graphics. The reported PowerVR C-Series CXTP-48-1536 GPU is based on an older architecture, and multiple reports suggest it will improve efficiency more than raw rendering power. That would fit Google’s broader Pixel strategy: emphasizing Gemini features, camera processing and everyday responsiveness rather than chasing Qualcomm or Apple in gaming benchmarks. That does not mean the Pixel 11 will be weak. The faster CPU clocks and 2nm node should help general performance, and the modem change could reduce overheating that has hurt sustained performance on earlier Pixels. But for demanding mobile games, the Pixel 11 is still expected to trail rival 2026 flagships using Snapdragon or Dimensity chips, especially in sustained graphics loads. So the trade-off appears deliberate: better AI features, imaging and efficiency, with gaming remaining a secondary priority.

3 articles · Updated · 9to5Google · Jul 17

Pixel 11 Face Unlock has reportedly been improved to be faster, more secure and more accurate in low light ahead of next month’s expected launch.
Mystic Leaks did not say whether the upgrade comes from software or new hardware, leaving open how Google would fix low-light limits in its current camera-only system.
IR-powered face unlock had been rumored for the Pixel 11, but the same leaker said in May that the hardware was still not ready for release.
Separate leaks also outlined a Pixel 11a with a Tensor G6 chip, 8GB RAM, a 6.3-inch display and a slightly smaller 4,870 mAh minimum battery, pointing to a likely March 2027 launch.