Google announces a Pixel 11 price hike three weeks before the phone's official reveal

Credit: Joe Fedewa / How-To Geek Published Jul 24, 2026, 5:06 PM EDT Jon is a seasoned journalist who has written definitive coverage of consumer tech at publications like Engadget, Android Authority, and BetaKit. He's an expert on making tech accessible ranging from mobile and PCs to emerging platforms like wearables. When he's not writing, he's going on adventures with ihis family and is an avid photographer. Sign in to your How-To Geek account Google isn't slated to unveil the Pixel 11 series until August 12, but it's already bracing would-be customers for a price increase. The company has confirmed that all devices will see higher prices than before, including the unreleased Pixel 11 line. Devices and Services VP Shakil Barkat tells 9to5Google in an interview that there would be "adjustments" reflecting soaring memory prices, and that they would appear "dynamically" to reflect supply for both existing and future models. Google has protected customers from feeling the effects of price increases for "as long as possible," he claims, but can't hold out longer. Google Pixel 10 $599 $799 Save $200 Barkat is still promising promotions and bundles to sweeten purchases, and says Google is making a "dedicated effort" to reduce Android memory requirements so that you don't need as much RAM as before to have a similar experience. Rumors have Google increasing the prices of the Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro by $100 each, to $899 and $1,099 respectively. The regular Pro (not the XL) will reportedly drop to 12GB of RAM versus the 16GB in the Pixel 10 Pro, although all the new models will reportedly offer at least 256GB of storage versus last year's 128GB. It's not clear how the planned price hikes will affect the Pixel 10a or Pixel Watch. However, it's safe to say you'll want to buy those quickly if you're in the market and watching your spending. Google is just one of many raising prices Galaxy Z Fold 8.Credit: Samsung A Pixel 11 price increase was virtually expected, in part as Google isn't alone in facing higher component costs. Samsung is charging more for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8 than their 2025 equivalents. Apple is also poised to charge more for the iPhone 18 Pro than its predecessor after raising prices for Macs, iPads, and other devices in late June. Google's pre-announcement of the increases mirrors what Apple did in June, when CEO Tim Cook said in an interview that higher prices were coming. The strategy in both cases is the same: they want to set expectations early to minimize the potential backlash. You might not like the increase, but you might be more tolerant when it arrives. It could still hurt sales. While Barkat maintains that Google wants to offer "premium experiences at an accessible value," the rumored $899 starting price for a Pixel 11 would make it more expensive than the Galaxy S26 and iPhone 17 as of this writing. That could make it a tougher sell, even if Samsung and Apple eventually follow suit.