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Google Pixel 11 launch event: Everything we expect as price increase rumors grow
Google is set to unveil its Pixel 11 phone lineup at a Made by Google event on 12 August, with leaks suggesting a largely incremental update this year. The headline changes appear to be a new Tensor G6 chip built on a cutting-edge 2nm process, fresh colour options and higher entry prices, while a companion Pixel Watch 5 is also expected with new colours and its own price rise. Design, screen sizes and resolutions across the four rumoured models are expected to stay close to last year's Pixel 10 range, making this shape up as a relatively minor refresh cycle.
Four handsets are tipped: the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL and Pixel 11 Pro Fold, with new finishes such as Midnight, Fuchsia and Moss, and display brightness rising to as much as 3,600 nits on Pro models. A notable rumoured addition is "Pixel Glow", an RGB LED light array near the camera bar similar to Nothing's Glyph interface, offering visual alerts and Gemini feedback. Camera hardware may also improve, with the base model and Fold reportedly moving to a 50-megapixel main sensor, up from 48 megapixels on the Pixel 10, while the Tensor G6 is expected to promise better efficiency and battery life thanks to its 2nm manufacturing process.
In short
- Google's Pixel 11 event is set for 12 August 2026.
- Leaks point to a minor update: new chip, colours, higher prices.
- New "Pixel Glow" LED light feature and improved cameras are rumoured.
Explained simply
Google's Pixel phones are the company's flagship smartphones, competing directly with Apple's iPhones and Samsung's Galaxy models. Each generation arrives with a focus on processing power, photography capabilities and artificial intelligence features.
Smartphone manufacturers, including Google, typically release new models each year with a mix of improvements and refinements to the previous generation. Some years bring substantial changes in design or functionality, whilst others represent more incremental updates to the existing line-up.
As smartphone prices have risen over time, consumers have become increasingly concerned about whether the cost justifies the actual improvements available in newer models. Price increases paired with modest upgrades can influence whether people choose to replace their existing phones.