Pixel 11 Pro trades one niche feature for another — but which is your favorite?

The Pixel 11 series made its big bow this week, and with the four phones come a host of upgrades from the Tensor G6 SoC to a redefined design across the board. Part of that new design, at least for the Pro, Pro XL, and Pro Fold models, is the addition of a new glowing LED feature called HiLight.

In a nutshell, it’s a notification LED that lights up when your favorite people contact you or when Gemini is currently active. That’s a fairly thin feature set, but Google has promised more is on the way. But, perhaps the biggest problem with this feature is that it knocks another off the Pixel line — the thermometer.

While it has been maligned by some users during its run, many have come to appreciate the temperature sensor at the rear of Pixel Pro models. Reddit user Fancy-Ad-2029 sums up what I’ve seen several users online have expressed in recent weeks about the thermometer:

When I got my phone, I never expected to say this. I thought it was a gimmick I would never use, but it has become extremely useful quite a few times over the years. It might be THE one missing feature that makes me not upgrade lol.

User repcommando377 commented in this thread with a similar opinion:

When they first announced the thermometer, I thought this is just dumb and a cheap pivot to new gimmick during the covid era. But man has it been helpful when traveling and being able to check if I’m hallucinating a fever or I’m actually sick.

Others have used it to check the temperature of surfaces, including pots and pans, while some have even used it to calibrate their thermostats. There are myriad uses, which makes the death of this niche sensor a tough pill to swallow for many.

Clearly, the thermometer was initially disliked but grew into something of a cult hero. Given this fall and rise, and HiLight’s dim beginning, it would stand to reason that the notification LED could eventually become an iconic Pixel feature. But, is the trade worth it? Which would you rather have on your phone? Let’s discuss.

Here are some more questions:

• Should Google have found a way to keep the thermometer alongside HiLight?
• Are you happy that Pixel phones now have a notification LED?
• Do you think HiLight will be a more useful addition to Pixels than the thermometer?
• How often did you use the thermometer on your Pixel phone?
• What are your initial impressions of HiLight? How would you change, upgrade, or redesign it?
• Beyond the thermometer and HiLight, what niche feature would you like to see on Pixels in the future? Let your imagination run wild!

👇 And if you have a specific comment related to your poll choice, or want to answer any of the questions posed above, be sure to have your say in the comments below.