Joe Maring / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Google’s advanced IR Face Unlock, known as “Project Toscana,” may not debut on the Pixel 11 series in 2026 as previously leaked.
- A new leak suggests the feature, which aims to rival the speed of Apple’s Face ID, is simply not ready for release yet.
- While internal UX testing has been successful on phones and Chromebooks, Google has yet to officially acknowledge the project.
Back in 2024, we reported on Google considering adding IR Face Unlock to the Pixel 11 series. In February this year, we reported that the advanced face unlock system, called “Project Toscana,” was tested with UX testers on Pixel phones and Chromebooks, and it worked just as quickly as Face ID does on iPhones. We haven’t heard of any changes to previously reported timelines for releasing IR Face Unlock, but a new leak suggests the feature may not debut on the Pixel 11 series this year.
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As per Mystic Leaks on Telegram, Project Toscana “likely won’t debut” on the Pixel 11 series that is releasing in 2026. The reason is that the feature is simply not ready for release yet.
Keep in mind that Google has not officially discussed Project Toscana/IR Face Unlock, so the feature’s release in 2026 could go either way. Google I/O is just a few weeks away, and the company usually uses it to showcase some of its projects, so we’re crossing our fingers for some tidbits, even if the feature itself still needs some time to cook.
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