Google launched its Pixel 11 smartphone family at the Made by Google event in New York City on August 12, according to WIRED. The lineup includes the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, and Pixel 11 Pro Fold, alongside the Pixel Watch 5 smartwatch and a new Pixel Tag accessory designed to be the Android answer to Apple's AirTag.
Preorders open today, and the phones and watches go on sale August 20, WIRED reported.
Pricing and storage
Prices are up across the Pixel 11 series, according to WIRED. The Pixel 11 now starts at $899, and the Pixel 11 Pro Fold tops the range at $1,900 — both devices received $100 price bumps. Google also increased base storage to 256 GB on every device, matching Samsung and Apple's latest handsets.
Performance and design
The Pixel 11 series runs on Google's Tensor G6 chipset. According to WIRED, Google says the chip is 20 percent more power efficient, 25 percent faster for browsing, and 15 percent faster when loading apps. Camera improvements stem from an improved imaging signal processor and a 50 percent more powerful tensor processing unit.
The oval camera bar on the back is now an all-glass surface, replacing the mixed metal-and-glass design of previous models. Google said the camera bar on the Pixel 11 is more than 40 percent thinner, and with Google's case, the camera bar sits completely flush.
The Pixel 11's most striking color is Hibiscus, joined by Pistachio, Frost, and Obsidian, WIRED noted.
Camera system
The Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro Fold share the same 48-megapixel primary camera with a larger sensor that captures up to 56 percent more light for brighter low-light images. The 10.8-megapixel telephoto camera with 5X optical zoom can now digitally zoom up to 30X. At higher zoom levels, Google's machine learning algorithm cleans up digital noise to produce enhanced photos.
Pixel 11 Pro Fold changes
Google's folding phone is now 10 percent lighter and 1 mm thinner than the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, with slimmer bezels, according to WIRED. It remains heftier and thicker than Samsung's new Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra. The device keeps its IP68 dust- and water-resistance rating and adds a new glass-fiber composite back cover that Google says is "nearly impossible to crack".
Specifications at a glance
WIRED provided the following specifications for the Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro Fold:
| Pixel 11 | Pixel 11 Pro Fold |
|---|---|
| Display: 6.3 inches, 60 to 120-Hz, OLED, FHD+, 3,000 nits peak brightness | External display: 6.5 inches, 1 to 120-Hz LTPO, OLED, FHD+, 3,600 nits peak brightness, HDR support. Internal display: 8 inches, 1 to 120-Hz LTPO, OLED, QHD+, 3,600 nits peak brightness, HDR support |
| Build: Recycled aluminum, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (front and back) | Recycled aluminum, Ceramic cover glass, ultrathin glass (interior) |
| Processor and RAM: Tensor G6 and 12 GB of RAM | Tensor G6 and 16 GB of RAM |
| Storage: 256 or 512 GB | 256, 512 GB, or 1 TB |
| Battery: 4,985 mAh. 30-watt wired charging; 25-watt wireless charging | 4,806 mAh. 30-watt wired charging; 25-watt wireless charging |
| Cameras: 48-megapixel primary camera, 13-MP ultrawide, 10.8-MP 5X telephoto, 10.5-MP selfie | 48-megapixel primary camera, 10.5-MP ultrawide, 10.8-MP 5X telephoto, 10-MP selfie, 10-MP inner selfie camera |
| Software updates: 7 years | 7 years |
| Extras: Pixelsnap Qi2 wireless charging, IP68, Google VPN, fingerprint and face unlock, Wi-Fi 6E | Pixelsnap Qi2 wireless charging, IP68, Google VPN, fingerprint and face unlock, Wi-Fi 7, UWB |
| Colors: Frost, Pistachio, Hibiscus, Obsidian | Olive and Obsidian |
| Price: $900 | $1,900 |
Enterprise-relevant features
For technology leaders evaluating fleet devices, the Pixel 11 series includes several features that stand out for professional use, according to the WIRED report. Seven years of software updates are included, along with Google VPN, fingerprint and face unlock, IP68 protection, and support for Wi-Fi 6E on the Pixel 11 and Wi-Fi 7 on the Pro Fold. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold also includes ultra-wideband (UWB) support for precise device location.
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