Google Pixel 11 Launch Event Preview (August 13): The Most Powerful AI Phone is About to Be Released

Google’s 2026 Made by Google hardware launch event is scheduled for 6 PM Eastern Time on August 12, which is 6 AM Beijing Time on August 13.

The entire press conference was presented in a talk show format, featuring celebrity guests such as Trevor Noah, Stephen Curry, and Ayami Nakajo. The highlights were not limited to the new mobile phone products.

The main focus of this launch event was the Pixel 11 series of smartphones, with a total of four models : Pixel 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro XL, and 11 Pro Fold foldable screen.

Google doesn’t plan to follow the trend of making large outward-folding screens. All four models have relatively conventional sizes: the standard version and the Pro are both 6.3-inch small bodies, the Pro XL has a 6.8-inch screen, and the foldable version has an 8-inch inner screen.

There are many hardware adjustments. All models are equipped with Tensor G6 processors, using TSMC’s 2nm process, and have an external MediaTek M90 baseband to optimize power consumption.

Storage starts at 256GB, eliminating the 128GB low-end version. The Pro XL and the top-of-the-line foldable model come with 16GB of RAM, while the rest of the models come standard with 12GB.

The prices have also been leaked in advance: $899 for the standard version, $1099 for the Pro version, $1299 for the Pro XL version, and $1899 for the foldable version. The lowest price in RMB is 6050, and the overall price has increased compared to the previous generation.

The changes to the camera system have sparked controversy; the base Pixel 11 will ditch the telephoto lens and revert to the previous generation’s dual-camera setup. All models will feature a new Pixel Glow hidden LED light, concealed beneath the lens cover, with nine built-in colors. It can function as a notification indicator and also visually display the Gemini’s background AI status.

The industry initially had high hopes for the Pixel 11 to become the strongest AI phone this year, but now many people have lowered their expectations, with the core issue being the Gemini model.

It’s highly unlikely that this launch event will introduce flagship-level 3.5 Pro or 3.6 Pro models; the main focus will likely be on the Gemini 3.6 Flash, which has only average overall performance.

The progress of various AI features accompanying Android 17 is lagging behind. Many previously announced features such as Vibe Coding, Gboard smart input, and Gemini Spark are not yet complete, making it difficult for the Pixel 11 to fully implement all the features promised at the developer conference at the beginning of the year.

That said, even with its shortcomings in AI capabilities, Pixel remains the only product line in the Android ecosystem that simultaneously masters the system, hardware, and large-scale model. Even if this generation’s overall experience falls short of expectations, its product trajectory will still provide a reference for the entire mobile phone industry.

The event will also unveil the Pixel Watch 5 and new Pixel Buds headphones. Rumors suggest that the Google Book will not be launched at this event, but will be announced at a separate smaller event in the fall.