What to expect from Google’s 2026 Pixel hardware launch event
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- Google will host its Made by Google hardware event Wednesday at 6PM ET, with comedian Trevor Noah as host — and the Pixel 11 preorder countdown on the Google Store ends at 10AM ET, hours before the formal event, suggesting full reveals will drop earlier than usual.
- The Pixel 11 lineup (Pixel 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro XL, 11 Pro Fold) is expected to feature a new Tensor G6 chip on TSMC's 2nm process, which would make the series the first smartphones on the market with that node, potentially beating Apple's next Pro phones.
- The Pixel 11 Pro may have 12GB of RAM, down from 16GB in the Pixel 10 Pro, while base storage across the lineup is rumored to jump from 128GB to 256GB — and a Google VP told 9to5Google that pricing "adjustments" are coming due to the memory crisis.
- A new "HiLight" rainbow glowy light on the Pixel 11 Pro's camera bar will light up for specific contacts and during conversations with Gemini AI, according to code spotted in Google's contacts app.
- The Pixel Watch 5 is expected in 41mm and 45mm sizes with 30 and 40 hours of battery life respectively, 64GB of storage (double the previous 32GB), Gemini Intelligence features like context-aware reply suggestions, and a starting price of $399 for the 41mm Wi-Fi model, up from $349.99.
- Google is also reportedly launching an olive-green color for the Pixel Buds Pro 2 (no hardware refresh) and potentially a brand-new oval-shaped Pixel Tag item tracker that will work with Android's Find Hub network.
- Googlebook laptops and Android XR smart glasses were ruled out for this event — Google said those are slated for a fall reveal.
Why it matters: The Pixel 11 lineup could be the first phones on the market with TSMC's 2nm chip, and potentially beat Apple's next iPhone Pro to that milestone — but buyers will pay more, since Google itself acknowledged pricing hikes tied to the ongoing memory crisis, and the base Pro model may even ship with less RAM than its predecessor.
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