I am a huge Pixel fan who's had every single Pixel since the first Pixel XL and up until the Pixel 11 Pro XL (well, minus the Pixel 3 series). It's not a stretch for me to say I'm excited about the upcoming Pixel 11 series, too.

For a lot of people, though, Google's update seems iterative and unsurprising. A few minor upgrades, a new light instead of a thermometer — what's there really to talk about?

What I think everyone is missing, though, is the big conversation around all the other refinements Google is bringing to the Pixel 11 series. Here's why I, the Pixel fan, am excited about Google's new phones.

Pixel HiLight brings back a welcome feature

Will third-party developers get access to it?

I still remember when Android phones like my HTC Desire Z and Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge had a notification light that would warn me of missed calls and unread messages. I could even assign different colors to my app notifications there.

Over the last few years, notification lights have disappeared from phones. You either look at the entire always-on-display to see if there's a new notification icon, or you have to hold your phone or tap the button to reveal pending notifications on the lock screen.

It's worked, for sure, but I've always wanted something that only alerts me of crucial notifications from my favorite people — husband, parents, mother-in-law, etc. And something that works even when the phone is face down.

Nothing solved that with its Glyph, and Google is about to follow with Pixel HiLight — the rumored official name of Pixel Glow. Better yet, it seems like HiLight will have animations that display multiple colors at the same time, not just a single steady color.

I love the promise of this light. The teased colors tell me this will be a "Gemini is listening to you" feature, but it would be a waste if Google didn't also use it for missed calls and unread messages from contacts. Recent rumors say it will.

I'm pretty confident third-party app developers will find a way to hack it, too, even if Google doesn't release an official API. Personally, I would assign it to the people that matter, my banking app, and my home security app.

It's also the kind of feature that would make so much sense for my mother-in-law, who rarely hears or checks her phone. I imagine teaching her: red means we tried to call you or text you, so reply immediately. That'd be life-changing for expats like us.

Pixel 11 promises a faster processor

Who says no to a more efficient phone?

The Pixel 11 series should sport the new Tensor G6 processor, a septa-core chip built on TSMC's 2nm process. While, on paper, this seems like a downgrade compared to the octa-core architecture of last year's Tensor G5, it's actually an upgrade where it matters.

Shrinking the node to a 2nm process should make the chip more efficient and less power-hungry, and guarantee better thermal performance under sustained loads. In other words, the Pixel 11 should use less battery and get less hot to perform the same tasks faster.

All the cores have also been dramatically upgraded, too. The main one, for example, jumps from a 3.1GHz Cortex-X4 to a 4.11GHz Prime Core. Apps should launch faster, and the UI should be more responsive because of this.

There may not be a huge GPU performance upgrade, but the TPU should see a bump, too, with a dual architecture instead of a single NPU. That tells me Google is focusing on AI performance much more than gaming or graphics-heavy tasks.

As a Pixel fan, this is the upgrade I need. I don't care about gaming, I just need my smartphone to open apps quickly and be fast with most actions, especially if I'm using local AI features like Gboard's Ramble, all without using too much power.

Oh, and no Samsung modem anymore, but MediaTek. I've found myself hunting for a signal bar on my Pixel enough times in places where everyone else had three or four bars, so I've only got one word: Hallelujah!

The cameras should get better

Can Google deliver on this promise?

All three Pixel 11 series phones are supposed to get upgraded camera sensors. We know some details, but not everything yet, and most of it seems positive to me, the person who takes 3,000+ photos with her Pixel camera every year.

The best upgrades are coming to the Pro and Pro XL, though, with a new primary sensor and new telephoto sensor. The main camera will have a better aperture to capture more light, while the telephoto will be able to zoom up to 120x.

Meanwhile, the base Pixel 11 is now promising up to 30x digital zoom, and all three phones plus the Fold should benefit from the upgraded Image Signal Processor in Tensor G6.

I know these don't seem like big changes, but the Pixel camera is already quite excellent. It just needs a few refinements to become better, and better sensors with improved aperture should be a big step in the right direction.

Also, if the Pixel 11 Pro can go up to 120x now, that means photos at 100x will be better, and those at closer ranges like 50x and 60x should be improved, too.

Storage, design, and other upgrades

Will we get the upgrades that matter?

There's a lot more to the Pixel 11 series, and the rumors keep coming in hot. The phones should all start at 256GB of storage — bye, bye 128GB. At a time when we take more pics and high-res videos than ever, this is a welcome change.

The Pixel 11 Pro Fold should be slimmer and lighter — a needed upgrade if Google wants to remain competitive. Samsung already slimmed down its Galaxy Z Fold 7 and 8 series, but Google has the advantage of built-in Qi2 magnets and an IP68 rating.

There will be new colors for the Pixel 11 series, too, including some bright pinks, stunning muted greens that are my favorites by far, a slightly purple-ish white, and a Dune hue that's somewhere between rose gold and sand. I kinda like this one.

I'm hoping for more surprises

I'm sure this isn't all for the Pixel 11 series. I know, from experience, that Google is probably hiding some extra software tricks up its sleeve. There are always excellent ones, whether it's a new camera capability or a smart new Gemini feature.

So I hope this isn't all we see from Google. There might also be new accessories, the new Pixel Tag, or other surprises. Plus, Android 17 QPR1 should land soon, bringing a bunch of cool new features we were promised at I/O like Gboard Ramble.

Regardless, August is always an exciting time for a Pixel fan like me, and I can't wait to see, test, like, or criticize what I see from Google then.