Pixel 11 Could Offer Face ID‑Style Unlocks Without an Island

Google's speculated biometric project, dubbed "Project Toscana," could finally give Pixel phones a true rival to Apple's Face ID. As on an iPhone, the system uses infrared rays to operate quickly and reliably, even in the dark. Early feedback says it unlocks "just as quickly as Face ID" in a range of lighting conditions.

Toscana will be a hardware upgrade over the current camera‑only face unlock on Pixels, with Google likely adding infrared sensors to get more secure, depth‑style facial data, Android Authority reported Tuesday. Google wants IR‑grade biometrics without bringing back the Pixel 4‑style forehead. It also hopes to match Face ID's security level, which should let Toscana handle lockscreen, payments, and banking logins with fewer failures in low light, and with even less reliance on fingerprint scanning.

Google first pursued secure 3D face unlock with the Pixel 4's IR and ...