Google has officially confirmed that the Pixel 11 series will be unveiled on August 12, 2026, during its Made by Google event in New York. Although the company has not announced official pricing, a new retail leak suggests Google will increase the base storage of the Pixel 11 lineup from 128GB to 256GB while also raising prices. This mirrors the strategy Samsung recently adopted with the Galaxy S26 series.
According to reports from French retailer Dealabs, the standard Pixel 11 is expected to start at €999 for the 256GB model, compared with €899 for the 128GB Pixel 10. The Pixel 11 Pro is also expected to drop the 128GB version and begin at €1,199 for 256GB, up from €1,099 for the previous model. The Pixel 11 Pro XL and Pixel 11 Pro Fold are also rumored to receive a €100 price increase across all storage variants. U.S. pricing has not yet been revealed. When comparing the 256GB versions of the Pixel 10 and Pixel 11, there is reportedly little or no price difference. The increase mainly comes from Google removing the cheaper 128GB models, making the entry price higher for buyers.
Samsung introduced a similar pricing strategy with the Galaxy S26 lineup earlier this year. The company justified the higher prices by adding new hardware features, including its Privacy Display technology. In contrast, current Pixel 11 leaks have not revealed any major hardware improvements. One rumored feature, called Pixel Glow, is expected to provide ambient notification lighting, but it may not be enough to convince buyers that the higher price is worthwhile.
Google could still introduce additional hardware upgrades or new Gemini AI features during the launch event. However, until the company officially announces the full specifications, the reason behind the expected price increase remains unclear. For most buyers, waiting before purchasing the Pixel 11 could be the better option. Google has a long history of offering significant discounts just weeks after launching new Pixel smartphones. Previous Pixel generations received price cuts shortly after release, and those discounts often became larger over time.
Unlike Samsung, Google earns revenue not only from smartphone sales but also from services such as Gemini AI, Google One, and its broader software ecosystem. Because of this, Google has greater flexibility to reduce Pixel prices through promotions without relying entirely on hardware profits. If the Pixel 11 launches with only modest upgrades and a higher starting price, waiting for one of Google’s frequent sales could save buyers a substantial amount of money.
