Pixel 11 Lineup Could Cost More and Offer Less RAM

Google has officially confirmed that upcoming Pixel devices will cost more, as the company grapples with a global surge in memory prices ahead of its Made by Google event on August 12, where the Pixel 11 series is expected to debut.

In an interview with 9to5Google, Shakil Barkat, Google’s VP of Devices and Services, said the company has shielded customers from rising component costs for as long as it could, but pricing “adjustments” are now unavoidable across the entire Pixel family including existing devices already on sale.

Barkat pointed to a global memory shortage driven largely by AI demand as the core issue. According to industry data he cited, the cost of 1GB of RAM has jumped from around $2.80 in 2025 to roughly $12 in 2026 a more than fourfold increase that’s rippling through smartphone production costs industry-wide.

Interestingly, leaks suggest the entry-level Pixel 11 Pro could actually ship with 12GB of RAM instead of last year’s 16GB a step backward on paper. Google hasn’t confirmed this, but Barkat acknowledged the company is actively working to reduce how much memory Android needs in the first place.

Instead of just throwing more RAM at the problem, Google says it’s investing in lower memory usage across Android, better app optimization, more efficient on-device AI models, and tighter software-silicon integration with its Tensor chips. The goal is to keep the experience smooth even as RAM configurations potentially shrink.

Google maintains that its combination of Android, Tensor chips, and on-device AI can deliver strong AI performance without demanding excessive memory, essentially betting that smarter software can offset leaner hardware specs.

Despite the price hikes, Google says trade-in deals, promotional discounts, and Google One bundles will continue, positioning these as key tools to keep Pixel devices accessible despite higher sticker prices.

Nothing is official yet, but current rumors point to the Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro costing about $100 more than their predecessors, with base storage potentially jumping from 128GB to 256GB. The Pixel 11 Pro XL and Pixel 11 Pro Fold could see similar $100 increases. All of this remains unconfirmed until the August 12 event.

Final pricing, exact RAM configurations, which existing Pixel models will see price bumps, and the timing of those changes all remain open questions.

Source