{"id":411867,"date":"2026-05-04T21:35:11","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T21:35:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/411867\/"},"modified":"2026-05-04T21:35:11","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T21:35:11","slug":"pixel-11-reportedly-wont-get-a-face-unlock-upgrade-after-all","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/411867\/","title":{"rendered":"Pixel 11 reportedly won’t get a face unlock upgrade after all"},"content":{"rendered":"

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According to a Pixel 11 leak, Google\u2019s next flagship smartphone lineup won\u2019t be adopting the new \u201cProject Toscana\u201d face unlock hardware after all.<\/p>\n

Fingerprint has been the primary means of biometric unlock on Android phones for some time, but face unlock is the focus on iPhone, and Google has clearly been interested in the tech. 2019\u2019s Pixel 4 series went all-in on IR-powered face unlock, and Google has since added camera-based face unlock on Tensor-powered Pixels that is considered strong enough<\/a> to be used for actual biometric unlock, rather than an insecure lockscreen bypass<\/a> as is the case on most other Android phones. <\/p>\n

In 2024, we first got word<\/a> that Google was working to improve on its face unlock, with a new option set to launch on Pixel 11 which would work in the dark \u2013 the main shortcoming of the camera-based method. A report from earlier this year detailed \u201cProject Toscana,\u201d<\/a> a new face unlock upgrade that worked in the dark and was reportedly as fast as iPhone\u2019s Face ID. <\/p>\n

Sadly, it sounds like we won\u2019t get this in Google\u2019s next flagship.<\/p>\n

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A major Pixel 11 series leak posted earlier today by Mystic Leaks<\/a> claims that Google\u2019s new face unlock hardware won\u2019t be in place for Pixel 11, as it\u2019s \u201csimply still not ready for release.\u201d <\/p>\n

It seems like the door might not be fully shut here, but Mystic Leaks has a fairly solid track record. It\u2019s reasonable to assume that Google might be delaying this feature to another generation. Given the tech reportedly involves IR hardware that hides behind the display, it\u2019s not out of the question that Google was planning to debut \u201cProject Toscana\u201d this year, but ran into some unexpected roadblocks. It\u2019s all just speculation at this point, though, as we\u2019ll have to wait and see what happens in the coming months.<\/p>\n

More on Pixel 11:<\/p>\n

Follow Ben:\u00a0Twitter\/X<\/a>,\u00a0Threads<\/a>, Bluesky<\/a>, and\u00a0Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n

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