Google has officially announced the Pixel 11 launch event for August 12, but just hours before the announcement a report revealed potential pricing that shows a €100 increase across all models. The Pixel 11 base is expected at €999, Pixel 11 Pro at €1,199, Pixel 11 Pro XL at €1,399, and Pixel 11 Pro Fold at €1,999. Converted to US dollars, that translates to approximately $899, $1,099, $1,299, and $1,899 respectively. While the 128GB base storage is being eliminated, the price hike still stings.
New pricing pushes Pixel into premium territory without strong justification
With these prices, Google is directly competing with Snapdragon-powered flagships like the Galaxy S26 series. However, Tensor chips, while fine for everyday use, lag behind in raw performance, especially in gaming. Pixel devices have also long struggled with heat management due to Tensor. The upcoming Tensor G6 looks promising but it is unlikely to match competitors at the same price point. This makes the price increase hard to swallow.
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Storage upgrade to 256GB is the bare minimum given the price hike
Google has finally dropped the 128GB base for Pro models, switching to 256GB. This move was long overdue and does not justify the price increase. The 128GB option remains for the base Pixel 11. The price gap between the Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL has widened from $100 to $200, aligning with industry standards but penalizing those who want a larger display without a hefty premium.
The Pixel 11 Pro Fold does not deserve a price increase with outdated design
The Pixel 11 Pro Fold reuses the same design as its predecessor, falling behind competitors like the Galaxy Z Fold 8, which costs only $100 more but offers a thinner and better form factor. Asking $1,899 for a foldable that does not keep up with the competition seems unreasonable, especially in a rapidly evolving market.
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RAM reduction makes the price hike even harder to accept
Adding to the discontent, leaks suggest that the base Pixel 11 may drop to 8GB of RAM, while Pro models could go to 12GB. In an era where AI demands more memory, and Google is the brand most focused on AI features, cutting RAM while raising prices is contradictory. Memory prices are indeed rising, but paying more for less is a tough sell.
Ultimately, the Pixel 11 price hikes were expected, but the way they are implemented raises concerns. Google must prove that the extra cost brings real value. For comparison, other high-end hardware like the Apple M7 Ultra offers impressive specs. Learn more about the Pixel series on Wikipedia.
Source: https://9to5google.com/2026/07/12/google-pixel-price-hike-problems
