Google unveiled its Pixel 11 smartphone family in New York on Wednesday, placing more of its Gemini artificial intelligence and upgraded camera tools at the center of its latest effort to challenge Apple and Samsung. The range includes the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL and Pixel 11 Pro Fold, all powered by the new Tensor G6 processor and Android 17. U.S. orders opened on Wednesday, with the three non-folding phones due to reach stores on August 20.
The company raised the U.S. starting price of every model by $100 from the previous generation. The Pixel 11 begins at $900, the Pro at $1,100, the Pro XL at $1,300 and the foldable at $1,900, according to the Associated Press. Google also removed the former 128-gigabyte entry option and doubled base storage to 256 gigabytes. It says the standard and Pro phones provide more than 30 hours of battery life and faster wireless charging, though independent testing will determine real-world performance.
Google presented software as the main reason to upgrade. New functions include live translation for videos, podcasts and voice messages, along with improved speech-to-text and more proactive Gemini assistance. Buyers of the Pixel 11 Pro or Pro XL receive six months of the Google AI Pro plan at no charge. Forrester senior analyst Andrew Cornwall told the Associated Press that Google continues to emphasize AI-led software, including tools for video stabilization, teleprompter use and extracting still photographs from video.
Camera changes include Magic Capture, which records a series of photographs and video from one press of the shutter, and improved light sensitivity across the range. The Pro phones add Instant Night Sight for quicker images in dark conditions and a zoom system that Google says reaches 120 times magnification. Their new HiLight rear LEDs can assign colors to selected contacts and show when Gemini is listening, reducing the need to turn over a face-down phone. Google says Tensor G6 also improves efficiency, browsing and application loading, but those claims await independent review.
The launch broadens Google's hardware ecosystem as the company seeks to put Gemini in more daily interactions. It also introduced its first finder accessory, Pixel Tag, priced at $30 for one or $100 for four and compatible with phones running Android 9 or newer. Google says the tag will arrive later this year through its Find Hub network. The phones now move from preorders to their August 20 retail release, when reviewers and customers will begin testing whether the AI, battery and camera improvements justify the higher prices.
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