I spotted something peculiar during Google’s “The Android Show I/O Edition 2026” stream: a strange inconsistency on one of the phones used to demo the new Android 17 creation tools. Is this just an odd editing choice, or did Google inadvertently give us a preview of the Pixel 11 or Pixel 11 Pro?
The inconsistency occurs during the “Expression” segment of the stream, on the Pixel device used by actress and So Positive founder Ananya Panday.
- 5:22 p.m.: We have a clear glimpse of the back of the phone. Based on the shape and layout of the camera bar, it appears to be the Pixel 10 Pro.
- 5:40 p.m.: We’re shown an image on the phone’s screen, but the black space above the image means the front camera isn’t easily visible (if it’s there at all)
- 5:50 p.m.: We get a much clearer view of the screen and there is no cutout for the front camera
- 5:56 p.m.: A return to the phone though, and the selfie snapper is suddenly clearly visible, but we’re not done there…
- 6:13 p.m.: The camera is still there for all to see, as Ananya demonstrates the Screen Reactions feature
- 6:20 p.m.: But after a quick cutaway to Ananya, we return to the phone and the camera has mysteriously disappeared again.
Check out this gallery of stills from each timestamp to see what I mean.
Picture 1 of 6
So what’s going on?
No matter which way you look at the two main possibilities at play here, it’s a strange move on Google’s part.
The first scenario – and the most plausible if I’m honest with myself – is that Google deliberately removed the selfie camera in certain scenes. For what? Perhaps to draw more attention to the tools presented on the screen. But if that were the case, I would expect it to be removed from all scenes where the tools are used.
The second scenario is more fantastical, but not completely out of the realm of possibility: this could be our first look at the Pixel 11 series, and more specifically the Pixel 11 Pro. If so, does this tell us that the next Pixel handsets will feature under-screen selfie cameras?
This is something I’ve been waiting for I reported on the technology in 2019, and aside from some lackluster commercially available devices with the technology, it has remained mostly dormant for the better part of a decade.
Be careful, some reports suggest that Google could include a new under-screen infrared camera in the Pixel 11 series to power an advanced Face ID-style facial recognition system. Did Google just disclose this same system?
Unfortunately, if it’s the Pixel 11 Pro in Google’s video, the design hardware looks identical to the Pixel 10 Pro, which puts a damper on my theory. I would love it to be true, but maybe I’m getting my hopes up a little too much.
What do we know about the Pixel 11 series?
In short, very little. Google hasn’t officially commented on anything regarding its upcoming smartphone series, but that hasn’t stopped Pixel 11 rumors from starting to circulate online in recent months.
In addition to the aforementioned rumor regarding the under-display camera, we saw a potential leak from the Pixel 11 body suggesting the camera bar could be bigger, rumors of an illuminated rear light dubbed “Pixel Glow”, as well as a claim that Google accidentally revealed some wallpapers for the Pixel 11 Pro Fold.
Apart from these small snippets, there’s not much else to go on for now, although we expect the next generation of Pixel devices to launch in August this year (depending on the arrival of the Pixel 9 and 10 series).
Hey @Google / @Android – why did you remove the Pixel 10 Pro’s front camera in some scenes of #TheAndroidShow, but not others? Unless Ananya has a new phone as well as new Android features… 👀🤔📱 pic.twitter.com/rS3tDMePRTMay 13, 2026
I’ve asked Google and Android about this inconsistency, and I’ll let you know if I get an explanation. In the meantime, if you have any wild theories about what’s going on here, sound them off in the comments.
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