It appears that Google’s latest Pixel 2 XL flagship takes advantage of a feature that passed by unmentioned during its official unveiling event, specifically an LED notification light embedded inside its top bezel. This feature was discovered by one tech enthusiast from the U.K. who appears to have obtained the device early on, and much like in the case of the original Pixel devices, the notification LED seems to be disabled by default.
Indeed, the first Pixel series was also equipped with a notification LED and similarly, Google wasn’t in a rush to reveal this feature last year either. However, unlike last year when the notification LED was fitted behind the textile material covering the front-facing loudspeaker, this time around the Pixel 2 XL embeds the notification LED behind the front-facing glass covering the top bezel. In any case, the source only shared an image with the Pixel 2 XL and as such it’s not entirely clear if the standard Pixel 2 also takes advantage of a notification LED. But at least according to a 9to5Google reader who claims to have tested both smartphones in one of Verizon Wireless’ brick & mortar stores, the notification LED is available on both models, and much like last year, the function is disabled by default and can be enabled from the settings menu under the ‘Notifications’ section.
It’s worth noting that the new Pixel 2 series takes advantage of an always-on display thanks to the adoption of AMOLED technology, and as such both smartphones already have ways to notify users without having to rely on LEDs or lighting up the entire surface of their displays. Nevertheless, an additional option in the form of a notification light can be useful in some scenarios and it might actually be a noteworthy addition for some prospective customers looking forward to the Pixel 2’s market release. Speaking of which, the Pixel 2 series is distributed in the United States by Verizon Wireless alone – not counting Google’s own online store – and the carrier expects the first Pixel 2 orders to be shipped before October 19th. Shipping dates still vary depending on the model, storage options, and color choices, but the Pixel 2 series should start reaching customers within the next couple of weeks.
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