The Pixel 11 Pro brings back one of BlackBerry's best features, but Google gets it all wrong
The Pixel 11 Pro features a new 'HiLight' notification light, but the author argues Google has failed to implement it effectively. Currently, the feature is limited to specific contact alerts rather than customizable notification triage.
Why it matters
Tech enthusiasts often look for hardware features that improve digital well-being, and this critique highlights a gap between user expectations and software implementation.
By Patrick O'Rourke Published Aug 21, 2026, 9:00 AM EDT Patrick O'Rourke is XDA's News Editor and Entertainment Segment Lead. Previously, he was Pocket-lint's Editor-in-Chief, the Editor-in-Chief of Canadian tech publication MobileSyrup , and earlier in his career, he worked as the technology editor at the Financial Post and Postmedia . He's based in Toronto. Over the past 15 years, he's written thousands of articles. Patrick has also interviewed dozens of tech industry executives and covered GDC, E3, Gamescom, WWDC, Apple keynotes, Samsung Unpacked events and more. Patrick has a BA in journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University.
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