Google basically confirms the Pixel 11 is getting a price hike
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- Google VP of devices and services Shakil Barkat all but confirmed in a 9to5 Google interview that the Pixel 11 will cost more than the Pixel 10, saying the company can no longer shield consumers from supply-driven cost increases.
- Barkat said Google "shielded our consumers from supply fluctuations for as long as possible," but added "the economics have fundamentally shifted and we're not immune to that," and that pricing "adjustments" will be "rolled out dynamically to match supply realities."
- The price pressure traces to RAM supply shortages driven by AI data center buildouts, a trend dubbed "RAMageddon" that has already pushed Apple, Nintendo, Microsoft, and Roku to raise prices.
- The base Pixel 11 is expected to start at $899 with 256GB of storage, doubling the 128GB baseline of the Pixel 10.
- The Pixel 11 Pro is rumored to drop from 16GB of RAM to 12GB, meaning the higher tier may ship with less memory than its predecessor.
- Google is scheduled to formally announce its next-generation Pixel devices on August 12.
Why it matters: Buyers will pay more for a Pixel 11 ($899 base with storage doubled to 256GB) while the Pixel 11 Pro reportedly sheds 4GB of RAM — more money for less memory on the flagship tier. Google becomes the latest major device maker to pass RAM cost spikes to consumers, joining Apple, Nintendo, Microsoft, and Roku in absorbing the AI-driven memory crunch.
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