A new report suggests Google may still be some distance away from shipping its more advanced face-unlock system on the Pixel 11. Back in 2024, reports said Google was exploring infrared face authentication for the Pixel lineup, and a February leak claimed an internal project called Project Toscana had already entered user-experience testing on Pixel phones and Chromebooks.
That earlier leak painted an ambitious picture. The system was described as fast enough to compete with Apple’s Face ID experience, raising expectations that Google might finally bring a more secure and premium-style facial recognition feature to its hardware lineup.
Now, however, a newer claim is tempering that outlook. According to Android Authority, the Telegram channel Mystic Leaks says Project Toscana is unlikely to debut with the 2026 Pixel 11 series because the feature still does not appear to be ready for release.
It is worth noting that Google has never officially confirmed either Project Toscana or an infrared face-unlock rollout for Pixel devices. That means the technology could still change significantly, be delayed further, or even arrive in a different form than earlier rumors suggested.
Even so, there may still be signs of progress soon. Google I/O is scheduled for May 20 Beijing time, and the company often uses that stage to preview technologies that are still in development. So while the Pixel 11 may miss this upgrade at launch, Google could still choose to show where its face-unlock ambitions are heading.
