There are a few trends that have shown up on Pixel phones over the years, but one of the most frustrating is that Google keeps launching half-baked features on its devices that take way too long to reach their potential, just to be taken away afterwards. “HiLight” is the worst example of that to date.
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Throughout the Pixel era, Google has introduced a number of features that simply were not ready at launch, either vanishing in the next generation or sticking around just long enough to find utility before getting a replacement in later releases. Some examples that come to mind include:
- Pixel 2: “Active Edge” – Opened Google Assistant with a squeeze, removed on Pixel 5
- Pixel 3: Dual selfie cameras – Used for ultrawide angles, removed after a single generation
- Pixel 4: Soli & Face Unlock – iPhone-like facial recognition + gesture support, removed after a single generation
- Pixel 8 Pro: Temperature sensor – Recognize surface temperatures, removed on Pixel 11
In the earlier years, these very much felt like Google trying to find Pixel’s defining hardware feature. “Active Edge” was a simple idea, as were the dual selfie cameras on Pixel 3. Straightforward, nothing missing, just pure hardware functionality. The same argument could be made for Soli on the Pixel 4, but that’s where things started getting a bit muddied.
The soft reboot that the “Tensor era” brought along with it also gave the Pixel a chance to shake off some of its growing pains, at least from a hardware feature standpoint, and build a better foundation for the future. A couple of years in, Google started experimenting again with the launch of the…