GoKawiilGoogle has just peeled the curtain back on the Pixel 11 phones, and there’s a fair amount to like here if you’re a Pixel fan. But in addition to Gemini Intelligence and the Tensor G6 chip, the new phones bring a few camera hardware upgrades and some cool software additions.
However, you only need to take a closer look to realize that Google’s best new camera features were actually copied from other smartphone brands. Don’t believe me? Here’s the proof.
What's your favorite Pixel 11 series camera feature? 16 votes Camera Looks 38 % Magic Capture 19 % Teleprompter 19 % Instant Night Sight 13 % Pro Stable Video 6 % 4K portrait video 0 % 120x Pro Zoom 6 %
Camera Looks
Joe Maring / Android Authority
Arguably, the best Pixel 11 camera feature is Camera Looks, as Google finally offers a selection of customizable picture profiles. You can even choose a new default picture profile.
If this sounds familiar, that’s because this is pretty much just Google’s take on the iPhone’s Photographic Styles. Apple introduced the feature back in 2021, allowing you to choose different color profiles for your camera app. The iPhone maker also lets you edit a style and set a default profile.
Even if we exclude Apple from this conversation, brands like HUAWEI, Xiaomi, and vivo have offered user-selectable color profiles for ages (e.g., realistic or vivid). Even Nothing offered customized camera filter presets that could be shared with others. Furthermore, the vivo X300 Ultra offered fully customizable color profiles, including film styles, earlier this year. Still, I’m glad Google is embracing this option in 2026.
Magic Capture
Joe Maring / Android Authority
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