Why the Pixel 11 price leak is worse than you think

If there’s been one guarantee in the mobile tech world in 2026, it’s that phones are getting more expensive. Samsung raised prices with the Galaxy S26 series at the start of the year. Motorola recently jacked up prices for all of its new 2026 Razr models. Now, according to a new report, Google will follow suit with the Pixel 11 series next month.

The report cites a €100 price increase across the entire Pixel 11 lineup in Europe, which could very well translate to a $100 price bump in the US — from the base Pixel 11 up to the Pixel 11 Pro Fold.

Higher prices were almost a given, considering the current global economy, but this still stings. Combined with what we know about the Pixel 11 lineup and how the phones will stack up alongside Google’s current Pixel portfolio, I don’t think this is “just” a $100 price hike. I think it’s a serious blow to an already troubled new generation of Pixels.

Problematic price hikes

Assuming this report is true, and the higher EU prices translate similarly to the US, what might the Pixel 11 series pricing look like? Here’s the full breakdown of the potential new starting prices:

• $799 Pixel 10 -> $899 Pixel 11
• $999 Pixel 10 Pro -> $1,099 Pixel 11 Pro
• $1,199 Pixel 10 Pro XL -> $1,299 Pixel 11 Pro XL
• $1,799 Pixel 10 Pro Fold -> $1,899 Pixel 11 Pro Fold

For the Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro, the upside is that the higher prices may also include a default storage bump from 128GB to 256GB. That’s nice, especially since 128GB has felt cramped for a minute now, but higher starting prices are still higher starting prices. And as much as I appreciate the extra storage for those two phones, I worry it won’t be enough to counter everything else we’ve been hearing about the Pixel 11 series.

Simply put, the Pixel 11 family is shaping up to be a very tame hardware upgrade compared to the Pixel 10. Google’s rumored Tensor G6 chipset for the new phones likely won’t have the horsepower to match current flagship chips from Qualcomm, MediaTek, and Apple — especially in mobile gaming. The rumored camera upgrades sound incremental at best, and we aren’t expecting any noteworthy battery or charging improvements, either.

Unless you’re really stoked about Google’s “Pixel Glow” RGB lights around the camera bar, there’s not much about the Pixel 11 series that sounds particularly exciting compared to the Pixel 10. That’s not inherently a bad thing, since most of the Pixel 10 lineup is already excellent, but that only applies when Google isn’t raising prices. When the new phones shoot up by $100 with little to show for it, that’s a different conversation.

Not only is Google possibly asking you to pay more for minimal upgrades, but a $100 difference also completely changes how Google’s Pixel phones stack up to the competition.

An $899 Pixel 11 would make it $100 more expensive than the iPhone 17, and the same price as the Galaxy S26 and OnePlus 15. The Pixel 11 Pro jumping to $1,099 would line it up with current iPhone 17 Pro pricing. A $1,299 Pixel 11 Pro XL would firmly push it into Galaxy S26 Ultra territory, while an $1,899 price for the Pixel 11 Pro Fold would match Motorola’s pricing for the Razr Fold.

It may “just” be a $100 price bump, but it removes any value edge this year’s Pixels could have had against the competition. And in a year when Google is apparently refusing any major performance, camera, battery, or charging upgrades, that’s a big problem.

Google’s own lineup further complicates things

And it’s not just phones from other companies that the Pixel 11 series will have to contend with. Perhaps even more problematic for the Pixel 11 is Google’s own existing Pixel lineup.

If I’m in the market for a new flagship Pixel phone, why would I choose the $1,099 Pixel 11 Pro when I could buy the Pixel 10 Pro and likely get about 90% of the same experience for at least $100 less? And that’s just considering the Pixel 10 Pro at its current $999 MSRP. When inevitable sales and discounts roll in following the Pixel 11 Pro’s announcement, the argument for buying a Pixel 10 Pro over the Pixel 11 Pro will be even stronger.

The base Pixel 11 is setting itself up to be an even tougher sell. Not only will it have a similar situation with the Pixel 10, but there’s also the Pixel 10a to contend with.

At $899 for the Pixel 11, Google would be asking you to pay a $400 premium compared to the $499 Pixel 10a. And what would you be getting for that much more money? A newer and faster (but still imperfect) Tensor chip, a telephoto camera, some more RAM, and built-in magnetic charging. Those certainly aren’t insignificant upgrades, but would they be worth paying almost double what the Pixel 10a costs? I’m inclined to say no.

The Pixel 11 series is facing an uphill battle

The lead-up to the Pixel 11 over the last few months has already been shaky at best. With every rumor and leak that’s come out, it’s been made abundantly clear that we shouldn’t expect any major shakeups from this year’s Pixels.

And as I said above, that can be a fine strategy. In his Pixel 10 review, my colleague Rob called it “one of the best phones Google has ever made.” I said the Pixel 10 Pro was “one of the best Android experiences around.” Considering how critically successful those phones were, running it back with small tweaks here and there probably sounded like a great strategy to Google — and I’d normally agree.

Unfortunately for Google, operating with that strategy in 2026 doesn’t go over as nicely when you’re offering minimal upgrades while simultaneously asking people to pay more. It didn’t work well for Samsung or Motorola, and it won’t work for Google either.