Google Pixel 11 leak points to higher prices, larger storage

Google is preparing a Pixel 11 lineup that may cost more and begin at 256GB, a shift that would raise the entry bar just as the smartphone market cools. The leak also points to a launch event around Aug. 11-12 and a release around Aug. 20, with European prices rising by about €100 across the family.

The pricing pressure lands in a market that is already tightening. IDC expects global smartphone shipments to fall 12.9% to 1.12 billion units in 2026, while the average selling price rises 14% to a record $523 as memory-chip costs climb and AI infrastructure absorbs supply. IDC also warned that the sub-$100 segment, which accounts for 171 million devices, could become permanently uneconomical.

Google’s own pricing history shows how far the Pixel line has already moved. The Pixel 7 launched at $599, the Pixel 8 at $699, and the Pixel 9 at $799. The higher-end Pixel 9 Pro started at $999, the Pixel 9 Pro XL at $1,099, and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold at $1,799. Google held the base Pixel 10 at $799, kept the Pixel 10 Pro at $999, moved the Pixel 10 Pro XL to $1,199, and left the Pixel 10 Pro Fold at $1,799. Any Pixel 11 increase would extend a multiyear climb rather than mark a one-off jump.

The new leak suggests Google may remove 128GB as the base storage tier and start the Pixel 11 family at 256GB, with 512GB and 1TB higher up the stack. Under that structure, the smaller Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro would effectively be priced like prior-generation higher-storage models, while the Pixel 11 Pro XL and Pixel 11 Pro Fold would see the usual €100 increases. For buyers, that means the company may be swapping a lower sticker price for a larger storage floor.

That trade-off matters because Google has spent the last three generations selling Pixel as a premium AI phone, not just a camera phone. Pixel 8 introduced seven years of software updates. Pixel 9 centered on Gemini AI and ecosystem features. Pixel 10 added Tensor G5, Gemini Nano, Pixelsnap and Qi2 wireless charging, along with refreshed hardware. The question now is whether Google can keep that value case intact as it pushes Pixel closer to the pricing discipline of Apple and Samsung. If the 128GB entry point disappears, Pixel’s appeal will rest less on affordability and more on whether buyers think the added storage and AI features are worth the higher floor.