Google Pixel ‘Project Toscana’ Reportedly Upgrades Face Unlock Hardware, Compares to iPhone Face ID
•February 17, 2026
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Why It Matters
Hardware‑level facial authentication could close the security gap between Android and iOS, driving broader adoption of Google’s biometric ecosystem across devices.
Key Takeaways
- •Project Toscana adds hardware-based face unlock to Pixel
- •Uses IR sensor, single hole‑punch camera
- •Comparable speed to iPhone Face ID
- •Works across lighting conditions, no visible hardware
- •Extends to Chromebooks, expands Google biometrics ecosystem
Pulse Analysis
Biometric authentication has become a cornerstone of mobile security, yet Android manufacturers have largely leaned on fingerprint sensors while iOS has championed Face ID. Google’s early foray with the Pixel 4’s IR array faltered due to timing and pandemic‑driven mask usage, prompting a retreat to camera‑based solutions that lacked secure‑app support. The renewed focus on a dedicated hardware stack signals a strategic shift, positioning Google to compete directly with Apple’s proven facial recognition model.
Project Toscana, as described by Android Authority, integrates an infrared sensor beneath the existing hole‑punch camera, eliminating the need for a conspicuous notch or separate module. By leveraging Tensor‑G6’s processing power, the system can analyze depth data instantly, delivering authentication speeds comparable to Face ID even in low‑light or backlit environments. This design choice preserves the sleek aesthetic of Pixel devices while addressing the primary criticism of earlier software‑only implementations: inconsistent performance under varied lighting.
The broader implications extend beyond smartphones. Bringing the same technology to Chromebooks could unify Google’s cross‑device security strategy, offering users a seamless biometric experience across workstations and mobile platforms. Enterprises may view hardware‑based facial unlock as a viable alternative to passwords, reducing phishing risks and streamlining device provisioning. As privacy regulations tighten, Google’s move underscores its commitment to secure, user‑friendly authentication, potentially reshaping the competitive landscape of biometric solutions.
Google Pixel ‘Project Toscana’ reportedly upgrades face unlock hardware, compares to iPhone Face ID
Google’s “Project Toscana” – New Face‑Unlock Hardware for Pixel Phones and Chromebooks
Biometrics are a core part of any smartphone nowadays, and Google Pixel is one of the few brands that balances both fingerprint and face unlock properly. But it seems Google wants to take things a step further on Pixel, with a new “Project Toscana” in the works that includes new face‑unlock hardware for phones and even Chromebooks, which is said to be comparable to iPhone’s Face ID in performance.
While Android phones today largely focus on fingerprint as the primary source of biometric authentication, it’s abundantly clear that Google has an allure for face unlock. The Google Pixel 4 went all‑in on face unlock with a full array of IR hardware that very much looked to compete with the iPhone’s Face ID setup, but that was quickly thrown out in subsequent generations, likely in part due to the very bad timing of Google’s attempt launching just months before COVID‑19 made mask‑wearing commonplace.
Google has slowly built out face unlock again on Pixels in recent years, with the Pixel 7 series adding face unlock based on the camera, but without the ability to work with secure apps. Google figured that out a year later on the Pixel 8 series.
Now, it seems Google is preparing a hardware‑based upgrade.
Android Authority reports that Google is building out “Project Toscana” behind the scenes as a hardware upgrade to face unlock on Google Pixel smartphones as well as Chromebooks. The new upgrade, the report claims, still uses a single hole‑punch camera cutout on Pixel and “worked just as quickly as Face ID on the iPhone” in various lighting conditions, with a mention that it may be using IR. The report adds that the project aims to build face unlock that works “any lighting condition without any extra visible hardware.”
There were previous rumors that Pixel 11 would add face unlock that works in darker conditions using Tensor G6’s supposed support for an “under‑display IR (infrared) camera system.”
As it stands, there are still a lot of questions around how this might work, but it certainly sounds promising. The mention that it works “as quickly” as iPhone’s Face ID isn’t so much a big fix, as Google Pixel’s existing face unlock is already pretty quick, but the hint that this would work in “various” lighting conditions is exciting, given that the existing implementation is worthless in anything but ideal lighting.
About the Author
Ben Schoon – Senior Editor for 9to5Google.
Find him on Twitter @NexusBen. Send tips to [email protected] or encrypted to [email protected].
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