Google's Pixel 11 Series Expected to See $100 Price Increase Across Models

Google confirmed an event on August 12 to unveil its Pixel 11 smartphones and the Pixel Watch 5. A report released shortly before the announcement indicated that the new Pixel 11 models will be priced roughly $100 higher than their predecessors. The projected list prices are $899 for the Pixel 11, $1,099 for the Pixel 11 Pro, $1,299 for the Pixel 11 Pro XL, and $1,899 for the Pixel 11 Pro Fold. The company is also dropping the 128 GB base storage tier, moving all entry-level devices to higher storage capacities.

Analysts note that the price increase coincides with the continuation of Google’s in-house Tensor processors, which have been judged less powerful than competing Snapdragon flagship chips in areas such as gaming performance and heat management. The upcoming Tensor G6 chip is expected to offer improvements, but may still lag behind comparable high-end devices.

The shift in storage options is seen as a modest mitigation of the higher prices, as the previous generation’s 128 GB base was considered a drawback. However, the price gap between the standard and XL models widens to $200, aligning with industry norms but raising concerns among some observers.

The Pixel 11 Pro Fold’s price of $1,899 is also highlighted as a point of comparison with rival foldable phones that offer similar or higher specifications at comparable or slightly higher price points.

"The alleged reduction in RAM for the base Pixel 11 to 8 GB and for the Pro models to 12 GB would make the price hikes harder to justify," a spokesperson for a technology analysis firm said.

The reported pricing reflects broader market trends of rising component costs, including memory, which have been affecting smartphone manufacturers worldwide.