Google's Pixel 11 Launch Set for Wednesday: Prices Jumping $100, RAM Getting Cut on Pro Models

Google is set to unveil its Pixel 11 lineup on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, at a Made by Google event in New York City. The livestream starts at 3 p.m. PT / 6 p.m. ET on YouTube, according to ZDNET, PCMag, Mashable and CNET, all of which are previewing the show ahead of time based on leaks rather than confirmed Google announcements.

Comedian Trevor Noah will host, according to PCMag and Mashable, both citing Google's own promotional rollout. Guests reportedly include NBA star Stephen Curry, track and field athlete Chari Hawkins, podcaster Alex Cooper, and singer Pink Pantheress. Last year's event was hosted by Jimmy Fallon, which PCMag flatly called "extremely confusing."

Four phones, one big price jump

Based on leaked info, not confirmed Google statements, the lineup will include the base Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, and the foldable Pixel 11 Pro Fold. Mashable cites an Amazon leak and figures from Android Headlines putting prices at $899 for the base Pixel 11, $1,099 for the Pro, $1,299 for the Pro XL, and $1,899 for the Pro Fold.

Every one of those numbers is roughly $100 higher than last year's Pixel 10 lineup, according to Mashable. The Pro Fold is the worst hit, allegedly jumping $400 over last year's Pixel 10 Pro Fold price. These numbers are leaks, and Google could change anything before Wednesday.

Multiple outlets tie the price hikes to the same root cause: a global RAM and component shortage. ZDNET, PCMag, Mashable and CNET all point to this shortage as the reason behind both the higher prices and a separate, more contentious change. Google reportedly killing off the 128GB storage tier entirely, starting every model at 256GB instead.

On paper, that sounds like a win for consumers—more storage as the new floor. But it's not a free upgrade. You're paying $100 more and getting a storage bump you may not have wanted in the first place, since the old 128GB tier existed specifically for buyers who didn't need more.

The RAM cut nobody asked for

PCMag reports that all Pixel 11 models, including the Pro and Pro XL, will reportedly cap out at 12GB of RAM. That's a downgrade from the last two generations of Pixel Pro phones, which shipped standard with 16GB.

If that leak holds up, Google is charging more money for less memory on its flagship tier. PCMag puts it plainly: buyers who care about RAM "might be looking at an older Pixel device for an upgrade" instead of the new one. That's a notable, specific warning buried in one outlet's coverage that the others don't emphasize nearly as hard. ZDNET and CNET mention the RAM shortage as a factor in pricing but don't spell out the same blunt consumer takeaway PCMag does.

The one actual design change: a rainbow notification light

All four sources agree on the single meaningful hardware change: a new multicolored LED light module built into the phone's camera bar. Leaks call it "HiLight," according to 9to5Google reporting cited by ZDNET, Mashable and CNET, though it was previously rumored under the name "Pixel Glow." CNET notes a leaked French marketing graphic as the source for the current name.

The light reportedly changes color for notifications, specific contacts calling, or when the phone is face-down while talking to Gemini, Google's AI assistant. It's a callback to Gemini's rainbow visual motif. Beyond that, nobody, including the outlets covering it, knows exactly how far the functionality goes. CNET says flatly: "How much more functionality, if any, HiLight has in store is unknown."

Outside of that light, don't expect a redesign. CNET, ZDNET and Mashable all describe the physical design as nearly identical to the Pixel 10 generation, with a new Tensor G6 chip providing modest, not dramatic, performance gains. CNET notes Google didn't even bother updating the chip in this year's cheaper Pixel 10a model, and that the company's silicon has generally lagged competitors on raw graphics performance while Google prioritizes on-device AI horsepower instead.

Google is also expected to introduce the Pixel Watch 5 and a rumored Bluetooth tracking accessory, dubbed the "Pixel Tag" by PCMag, aimed at competing with Apple's AirTag and potentially tied into Google's Find Hub network.

None of the pricing, RAM, or storage details are official. Google hasn't confirmed a single spec sheet publicly as of this writing. Everything rests on leaked marketing images, an Amazon listing leak, and reporting from Android Authority, Android Headlines, DealLabs and 9to5Google, all cited secondhand by the four outlets previewing the event. Wednesday's keynote will settle whether the $100 price hikes, the RAM cut, and the storage change are real, or whether the leakers got it wrong.