Pixel 11 price hike signaled by Google device executive
A Google devices executive told 9to5 Google that Pixel pricing will adjust as memory costs rise ahead of the August 12 launch.
By Hana Yoshida · Markets Reporter
3 min read
A Pixel 11 price hike is looking likely after a senior Google hardware executive said the company is preparing pricing changes for its phone lineup. The comments matter for buyers because the next Pixel launch is scheduled for August 12, leaving little time before Google confirms final prices.
Shakil Barkat, Google’s vice president of devices and services, told 9to5 Google that the company had protected customers from supply swings for as long as it could. He said the economics had changed and that Google was not immune to those pressures.
Barkat also told 9to5 Google that Pixel pricing would see “adjustments” tied to supply conditions. He said those changes would be rolled out dynamically to reflect the supply situation, according to the report.
Why is the Pixel 11 price going up?
The pressure comes from higher memory costs, according to The Verge, which linked the expected increase to ongoing RAM supply problems connected to the growth of AI data centers. RAM, or random access memory, is the short-term memory a phone uses to keep apps and system tasks running; when supply tightens, device makers face higher component costs.
The Verge reported that Google would be joining other tech companies that have raised prices as memory costs climbed. It cited Apple, Nintendo, Microsoft and Roku as companies that have increased prices in response to the same broader pressure.
The timing also follows earlier reports that the Pixel 11 could cost more than the Pixel 10. Google has not announced final retail pricing for the Pixel 11 lineup, so Barkat’s comments are the clearest signal so far that buyers should expect higher prices or model-by-model changes.
What is expected for the Pixel 11 lineup?
The base Pixel 11 is expected to start at $899, according to The Verge, which reported earlier pricing and color rumors. That model is also expected to include 256GB of storage, up from 128GB on the previous base configuration.
The Pixel 11 Pro may see a hardware trade-off, according to a rumor cited by 9to5 Google. The report said the Pro model could move from 16GB of RAM to 12GB, though Google has not confirmed that specification.
Those reported changes suggest Google may be adjusting both price and configuration as it deals with component costs. A higher starting price paired with more base storage would change the value comparison with the Pixel 10, while a lower RAM figure on the Pro model would draw attention from buyers who care about multitasking and long-term performance.
Google is scheduled to announce its next generation of Pixel devices on August 12, according to The Verge. That event is expected to settle the final pricing, storage and RAM details for the Pixel 11 family.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.