Google Pixel 11 is getting a $100 price hike — and the cheap storage option is gone
Google is raising Pixel prices for the first time in three years, and a company executive has now all but confirmed it. The Pixel 11 series starts at $899 for the base model — a $100 jump over its predecessor — with the 128GB storage tier dropped entirely across the lineup. The announcement is set for August 12 in New York, with retail availability on August 20.
Why prices are rising
Google VP of Devices Shakil Barkat told 9to5Google that the company has been absorbing rising component costs for a while to protect customers from price increases — but that the "economic situation has changed fundamentally." Memory chips are the culprit. AI data centers are consuming the bulk of DRAM supply from manufacturers like SK Hynix and Samsung, leaving smartphone makers competing for what's left. According to Notebookcheck, mobile DRAM prices are up around 70% since early 2025. Google held the line longer than Samsung and Apple, but the margin squeeze eventually won.
What it costs now
In the US, the Pixel 11 starts at $899 (256GB minimum). In the UK, the base price lands at £879 — an £80 increase over the Pixel 10. European pricing follows the same pattern, with the Pro starting at €1,199 and the Pro XL at €1,399.
The removal of 128GB models is the quieter hit. It eliminates the most affordable entry point and mirrors a strategy Samsung already applied to the Galaxy S26. For buyers who would have picked up last year's base model on a budget, the jump is now both in price and in minimum spend.
Pixel Watch 5 is also expected to see a $20–30 price increase, per the same leaks.
What to expect on August 12
Google has not officially published final pricing — the figures above come from Dealabs leaks reported by Notebookcheck and corroborated by multiple sources. Barkat's comments are the closest thing to a first-party confirmation. Pre-orders are expected to open the same day as the announcement, August 12, ahead of the August 20 retail launch.
The broader picture: IDC data shows average smartphone prices are up 14% in 2026 across the industry. Google's increase lands right in line with that trend — just later than most.