Google is back this year with its Made by Google event, and we’re expecting a lot of Pixel news. Of course, Google is set to launch the Pixel 11 series, which will likely include several different smartphones as well as a new foldable. In addition, Google is expected to launch the Pixel Watch 5, and there could be some additional devices in the mix.
We hope you’re as excited to learn about Google’s latest smartphones as we are! Last year’s launch was filled with celebrities and internet personalities, and this year looks to be no different, with Stephen Curry, Shubman Gill, Ayami Nakajo, and more, with Trevor Noah hosting.
Over the next few days, we’ll be going over what you can expect and covering the event live as it happens so you don’t have to miss a thing! Scroll down for all the details!
When and what time is Made by Google?
The event is today, Wednesday, August 12, and it starts at 3 p.m. PT / 6 p.m. EDT.
How to watch the Made by Google event?
Google will stream the event on its official Made by Google YouTube Channel. You can also watch it live at the Google Store website. Click the Notify Me button below so you don’t miss a thing!
Google has been low-key hyping up its Pixel 11 series for some time, although we just didn’t know it. Earlier this year, the company gave us a glimpse of new features arriving with Android 17, and while the update is already out, there are still some features that haven’t arrived yet, and likely more that Google hasn’t even teased. What are you looking forward to the most?
One feature I can’t wait to get my hands on is Pause Point. It’s supposed to remind you to take a break from distracting apps with things like timers, breathing exercises, and even suggestions for less-distracting apps to use. Because we all need a reminder to take a break from social media, right? It’s actually a pretty thoughtful feature, one I never expected from Google.
Another feature I hope to see on the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is the Gamepad. It basically turns your foldable into a mini game console of sorts with a dedicated control pad on the bottom half of the screen, which should enhance the gaming experience. Google also says it will include native controller remapping for those of you who use external controllers, which is a great way to appeal to mobile gamers.
Android 17 is shaping up to be a more social-media-focused update, and on the other side of Pause Point, the company launched Screen Reactions, which makes it incredibly easy to record yourself over another video. It’s an incredibly useful feature and very easy to use. It makes me wonder what other social features the Pixel 11 will introduce.
Google was already in the midst of doing some heavy brand reworking with Gemini, and Android 17 only furthers those actions. Google says that Android is no longer an "operating system" but, rather, an "intelligence system." This sounds like marketing nonsense, and I'm some of it certainly is, but the idea is that Android is moving beyond a traditional point-and-click (or tap) UI and, instead, becoming a system that does exactly what you ask of it.
Case in point, the newer Gemini Automation features which will navigate entire apps and websites for you with a single command. I used it to order food and tea from two different restaurants and all I had to do was hit confirm. While I'd argue that having Gemini order food for me is silly and completely unnecessary, seeing Gemini have the ability to navigate complex UIs without error is impressive, and there will no doubt be more sensible reasons to use this feature in the near future.
For me, the most interesting part of Gemini Intelligence and automation is when Gemini is used to interact with apps that aren't usually deemed "compatible." Let's say you're particularly find of an obscure note app that wouldn't normally have tie-ins with services like Gemini. No problem, because Gemini Intelligence is supposed to be able to work with it, regardless.
Say you took a photo of a banner or poster for an upcoming event and want to make a shopping list based on what you'll need for it. Gemini can help navigate the content in the photo and fill out a note in your favorite app without you manually typing it in. That's just one of many features we're expecting to see expanded on the new Pixel 11 series, too!
One of the other Gemini highlights from The Android Show 2026 was the new Create A Widget feature, which turns Gemini into a professional coder so you can make custom home screen widgets. Nothing started this trend a few months ago and did a spectacular job with the implementation, and I expect to see Google take the concept even further on the Pixel 11.
The concept is pretty simple. Say you want a specific widget that doesn't seem to exist in the Play Store. Just ask Gemini to create a widget for you, and it'll begin the coding process, complete with the ability to revise and modify things as the widget is being built.
Since we're looking back at The Android Show from earlier this year, it's worth remembering that it was actually the first time Google quietly gave us a look at what is now rumored to be called Pixel Glow, or HiLight.
During the Googlebook teaser, you could spot a glowing light bar across the top of the laptop lid. Since then, we've seen the same design language appear on the new Google Home Speaker, and according to recent leaks, it's also expected to make its way to the Pixel 11 series.
Speaking of Googlebook, Google has been unusually quiet about it ever since The Android Show. That makes me wonder whether the upcoming Made by Google event could finally give us a proper look at Google's next-generation premium laptops. What do you think? Do you expect Googlebook to make an appearance next week? Let me know in the comments.
Speaking of the Pixel launch event, as a Pixel 10 Pro owner, I'm honestly not that excited about the Pixel 11 series itself. Based on everything we've seen so far, there don't seem to be many major hardware upgrades this year. What I'm actually looking forward to is Android 17 and the new features launching alongside the Pixel 11.One feature I'm especially excited about is the new 3D emojis. Google first showed them off during The Android Show, but we still haven't seen them arrive on Pixel phones. They're still not quite on the same level as Apple's emoji design, in my opinion, but they're definitely a big improvement over what Android has today.
Another Android 17 feature I'm really looking forward to is Rambler. I've talked about it before, but it's essentially Google's new AI-powered voice typing system. Instead of speaking carefully and trying not to make mistakes, you can just talk naturally. Rambler automatically ignores your "ums" and "ahs," understands corrections as you speak, and turns everything into properly formatted text. It's very similar to what we've recently seen with Gemini on macOS, but this time it's coming to Android smartphones. That's one of the Android 17 features I'm probably most excited to try.
While we wait for Made by Google, why not have a little to snack on? The Android Show this year talked up the company’s security improvements. One of the major highlights was Location Access. I know, I thought the same thing. Google made this more transparent so we can manage how an app accesses our location, and when it happened. We don’t always want to put ourselves out there like that, so I like that Google worked this into Android.
Another Android upgrade Google gave us—in line with its recent behavior—involved scam protections. At the Android Show 2026, Google talked about protections for your banking apps by introducing “verified financial calls.” We work hard for our money. The last thing we want is for it to get swiped. If Google deems that call to be a fraud, it will tell you to hang up now.
Since we’re now, officially, in the second half of 2026, we should start seeing Google’s upgraded Live Threat Detection. This will deliver “warnings about suspicious behavior that could be potentially harmful.” Take, for example, an app trying to force a text message to another number you don’t know. The idea is to ward off malicious trickery, and there’s a chance we’ll see this talked about with the Pixel 11’s launch.
Be honest: Android Auto has been lacking, right? If you’re asking me, I’d say “kind of.” Google has continued to improve Android Auto over the years. Gemini’s involvement has helped, too. At the Android Show, Android Auto was shown with a vastly improved, “immersive” Google Maps experience with an edge-to-edge display, and a robust 3D view. Android Auto will tell you what you should keep an eye out for, like traffic lights and lanes. It’s no longer generic. It’s actually helpful.
One of the main reasons why Google pushed the Android release ahead last year is to ensure its latest devices get the latest build of the OS out of the box. With Google releasing phones in August and subsequently rolling out a new Android version in the month of October didn't really make much sense, so it's good to see Android builds coming out earlier. The stable Android 17 version was released on June 16, and Google's eligible devices have made the switch already.
Samsung also joined the Android 17 bandwagon with its foldables, and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 models come with One UI 9.0 and the latest version of Android out of the box. Of course, Samsung's vision of Android looks very different to what Google has on the Pixels, and that's one of the best things about Android; you can choose what kind of interface you want on your phone. On that note, other brands are starting to roll out the stable Android 17 update to their phones, with Xiaomi getting us underway.
What I like the most in Android 17 is the Bubbles multitasking mode. The ability to use floating windows allows much greater flexibility, and it makes a lot of sense on a foldable like the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. There's better fluidity in general with the interface, and this was a phoe problem in the past.
Returning to highlights of The Android Show, the Googlebook teaser got everyone excited about how Google will deliver the Chromebook successor. What stands out this time is that the Googlebook is aimed as a high-end device, with Google noting that it puts Gemini front and center. We'll also get a mix of regular x86-based models and Arm devices, and I'm interested in the latter — there's much better battery life with Arm notebooks in general, and I can't wait to see how Google utilizes this with the Googlebook.
What's notable with the Googlebook is that it could showcase what Android and ChromeOS can do together. Google is going about this the right way, with major hardware vendors slated to release Googlebooks later in the year. The software will ultimately prove to be the defining factor, and I think there's definitely potential to see how Google brings Android and ChromeOS together into a unified ecosystem.
The defining feature of the Googlebook is the Magic Pointer, where you can easily get contextual information from Gemini just by wiggling your cursor at whatever you're browsing. This is what Google says when it's talking about Gemini Intelligence being integral to the Googlebook, and I'm very excited to see how it holds up in daily use.
Chromebooks have dominated classrooms over the last decade, and it is a bold bet by Google to switch things up with the Googlebook. The high-end hardware combined with tight-knit integration with Gemini is interesting, but Google is going up against a well-established Windows ecosystem and MacBooks. I guess we’ll have to wait and see where the initial batch of Googlebooks slot in; that will give us a good idea as to what Google is planning to get out of its latest product category.
I’ve (Derrek Lee) been using the base Pixel 10 for about a year, and it’s quite a step-up from the Pixel 9. The cameras are phenomenal, and I love the Qi2 support since it doesn’t force me to put a case on this already thick phone.
I’m curious how the Pixel 11 will upgrade the base Pixel experience, perhaps with more base storage and faster charging?
It would also be nice if Google made the Pixel 11 a bit thinner, perhaps by giving it a denser silicon-carbon battery… but I won’t get my hopes up.
I’m also excited to see what’s coming with the Pixel Watch 5. Based on Google’s teaser, it won’t look much different from the Pixel Watch 4, which has been one of my favorite smartwatches in the past year. However, early rumors suggest there also won’t be a change in chipset, while more recent rumors suggest it’ll feature an “Accelerated” version of the Snapdragon W5 Gen 2. It’s a bummer that it may not feature the premium “Snapdragon Wear Elite” found in the new Galaxy Watch 9 and Ultra 2, but last year’s chip was no slouch, and it’s likely this is to help keep costs down while providing more AI capabilities.
Speaking of keeping costs down, it looks like even Google won’t be able to avoid the inevitable price increase with the Pixel Watch 5. One rumor points to Google increasing the base price by $50, bringing it to a starting price of $399 for the 41mm variant. Would you pay that much for a smartwatch?
One change I’m hoping to see with the Pixel Watch 5 is an upgrade to the fitness tracking. Garmin is my go-to for fitness because it can set detailed workout routines and track reps and sets. As someone who frequents the gym and lifts weights, this is incredibly useful to me, and the reason why I switch out my Pixel Watch for the Garmin Venu 4 when I work out. If the Pixel Watch 5 can get this right, I can probably just stick to one smartwatch going forward. That said, I won’t get my hopes up.
While Derrek might be disappointed in the rumor that the Pixel Watch 5 isn't going to use the new Snapdragon Wear Elite chipset, I'm actually quite happy to hear this news. I've (Nick Sutrich) been using the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 for the past two weeks, which uses that new Snapdragon Wear Elite chipset, and the battery life is comparatively awful compared to any other recent Snapdragon Wear chip I've gotten my hands on.
The W5 series, by comparison, seems to have a much better performance efficiency balance than Qualcomm's newest supercharged chip. Considering all the Pixel Watch models powered by Snapdragon still feel snappy to this day, I'd much rather stick with this more efficient chipset line than something that's unnecessarily more powerful.
And before I move on from the Pixel Watch 5 rumors, I'm also quite stoked about the rumored changes to fitness tracking. One of the reasons I've stopped using Wear OS entirely is because fitness tracking on the platform is extremely lacking when compared to brands like Amazfit, Garmin, and Coros. Seeing as how I only use smartwatches for fitness tracking these days, this is a key feature for me.
I'm probably echoing Derrek's sentiments too much from earlier, but the point is that I know Wear OS can do so much better than it currently does, especially with the powerful chipsets inside and the excellent software Google has been building over the past few years since the big Wear OS reboot.
On to the Pixel 11 series, I'm tentatively looking forward to the new displays Google will inevitably use in these phones, but not for the same reason as many other people. We're not expecting any revolutionary changes here, likely just another bump in brightness for all four rumored models, but I am hoping that Google enhances its "sensitive eyes" feature that launched with the Pixel 10.
If you're not aware, the Pixel 10's display accessibility feature doubled the PWM dimming rate, but those numbers weren't high enough to fix these painful displays for people sensitive to flicker. Instead, Google will need to increase that rate by at least 10x (something most smartphone companies have done at this point), or disable PWM dimming entirely (as Motorola and Honor offer), to make its OLED displays comfortable for this group of folks. Here's hoping!
Remember the glowing light bar Google teased on Googlebook earlier this year? Well, it now looks like it's officially coming to the Pixel 11 series, and it may be called HiLight. According to the leaks, it'll light up when you're interacting with Gemini and will even change colors dynamically, making it feel like a modern version of the old Android notification LED. I just hope Google lets us customize it. Imagine assigning different colors to different contacts, so you'd know who's calling or messaging even when your Pixel is face down.
It also looks like Pixel Glow, or HiLight, won't be available across the entire Pixel 11 lineup. According to the latest leaks, the feature will be exclusive to the Pro models. In fact, Google is reportedly redesigning the camera housing on the Pixel 11 Pro Fold to make room for the new LED. It'll be interesting to see whether this becomes a long-term Pixel design language, much like the camera bar did a few years ago.
One leak I wasn't expecting is that the standard Pixel 11 might lose its telephoto camera. Google only added a telephoto lens to the base Pixel last year with the Pixel 10, but now there are reports suggesting it's going away again, possibly to help keep costs under control. Instead, the Pixel 11 is said to ship with just a 48MP main camera and a 13MP ultrawide. If that's true, it'll actually be a downgrade from the Pixel 10.
Speaking of cameras, one upgrade I'm actually looking forward to is the touted 120x Pro Zoom on the Pixel 11 Pro. Google already does a great job with computational photography, and while the phone still uses a relatively modest telephoto camera, AI does a lot of the heavy lifting. It'll be interesting to see whether Google can make 120x zoom genuinely useful, or whether it's just another big number for the spec sheet.
Another feature we've been hearing about for months now is finally expected to arrive with the Pixel 11 series: Night Sight Video. Google is reportedly bringing Ultra Low Light Video to the lineup, allowing users to record much brighter videos in extremely dark conditions. If it ends up being anything like what Night Sight did for phone photography all those years ago, this could easily become one of the biggest camera upgrades on the Pixel 11.
Thinborne makes some pretty nice phone cases and, in typical fashion, it showcased a set of Pixel 11 cases way earlier than you’d usually expect. We had no clue where to turn with these, but one thing was significant: the cases had a wider camera bar cutout. You remember all those “Pixel Glow” talks, right? Things might not play out how we think.
If there’s one thing I’ve always wanted more of is Google’s in-house chip, the Tensor. I don’t mean that in the greatest of ways. What I mean is it’s lacking. Google hasn’t had the best track record with Tensor. Some Tensor G6 rumors (Pixel 11’s chip) said Google would chase a 2nm process. This would, in theory, improve its performance. How much? We’re not sure. You also can’t leave out Google’s AI; however, user health could take a few steps forward with this chip, too.
While some Tensor G6 leaks for the Pixel 11 seemed positive, others brought us back down to Earth. What was weird (and incredibly important to me) is what was said about the chip’s GPU. Some claim the Tensor G6 could feature a “very old” GPU. The Pixel series hasn’t been the “greatest” for games. They do good, yes, of course. But rumors say the Pixel 11 might not perform any better than the Pixel 10 in this department (and I’m sad).
On a more techie side, leaks say the Tensor G6 could bring MediaTek’s modem into the fold, not Samsung’s. Reports mentioned MediaTek’s M90 modem, specifically, which could offer 12Gbps speeds, dual-active 5G, and more. It’s not a lightweight modem by any means, and that might help the Pixel 11 stand taller. It would give consumers a crisp, smooth experience with their mobile data.
Another interesting tidbit around the Tensor G6 is that it may be built on a 2nm node. This could give Google an advantage when it comes to efficiency, as a node shift from the existing 3nm to 2nm will ensure the same cores don't consume as much power to do the same tasks. With Qualcomm and MediaTek still on 3nm and not likely to switch to designs based on 2nm until next year, this is an area where Google could lead things on Android.
The main thing I want to see in the Tensor G6 is better gaming potential. The Pixel 10 Pro XL did a better job at this last year, but the Tensor G5-based phone still had a tendency to overheat in sustained gaming sessions, and Google needs to address that with the Pixel 11 models. While Google says that it prioritizes the AI side of things and tailors hardware to suit its Gemini models, there's no getting around the fact that these are high-end phones, and they need to measure up in all areas.
That said, I am keen on seeing how the Tensor G6 holds up against its Qualcomm and MediaTek rivals. Google needs to show this year that it can deliver a platform that's at the same level. Thermal management is going to be a key area of focus as brands increasingly rely on local AI models, and this will be interesting to test on the Tensor G6 and its 2nm node.
Another thing to keep an eye on is battery life. Chinese manufacturers have made considerable strides in this regard in the last two years — mostly by adding huge silicon-carbon batteries — and it will be interesting to see how Google delivers better battery life this generation. We haven't gotten much in the way of information around this, but the few leaks point to Google going with a smaller battery in the Pixel 11 Pro XL. That sounds counterintuitive, but we will need to wait and see what Google does.
Talking about batteries, we'll have to see if Google also switches to silicon-carbon tech. Samsung started using the tech in its latest foldables; that's the main reason why the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra has a bigger battery while being thinner and lighter than its predecessor. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold could do with a thinner and lighter design, but will Google use silicon-carbon batteries or something else? We'll know tomorrow.
While a lighter design would be good, I want to see a lighter battery on the Pixel 11 Pro Fold. My Pixel 10 Pro Fold doesn't quite manage to last an entire day, and this isn't generally a problem on any other foldable I use. The Find N6, on the other hand, lasts well over a day consistently. I'm optimistic that Google will figure out a way to boost battery life with the 11 Pro Fold, but I'm going to wait until I actually get my hands on the foldable before I make up my mind.
Did you know that someone apparently found a Pixel Watch 5 at the bottom of the ocean as far back as May? Someone posted photos of the device online, saying their friend found it while scuba diving in St. Martin. It’s kind of funny to think that a Google employee lost their Pixel Watch 5 prototype while on vacation, and it reminds us of how someone found the original Pixel Watch at a restaurant, sharing photos of the device exclusively with Android Central ahead of Google’s official announcement.
Do you use LTE on your smartwatch? I did, but I found it pretty useless. I ask because while the Bluetooth 41mm Pixel Watch 5 is expected to start at a whopping $399, the base LTE variant is expected to receive a bigger price increase to… wait for it… $499! That’s approaching Garmin Venu 4 territory, so Google had better make a pretty compelling case for the Pixel Watch 5.
In addition to the Pixel Watch 5, we’re also hearing rumors of a Pixel Tag. This is expected to be a Bluetooth tracker, similar to the Apple AirTag, although seemingly with a very different design. I’m not sure how I feel about it, and honestly think it looks kind of ugly from the leaked image. I feel it would’ve been better to copy Motorola and adopt a similar shape to the AirTag so its accessories could be reused, but Google’s gotta make money somehow, I guess.
There's very little chance that we'll see a major design change to the Pixel 11 Pro Fold this year, but I can certainly dream of a wide version of the phone. This could be similar to what Samsung did with its Galaxy Z Fold 8 series this year, where or launched an Ultra model with the more standard tall book-style foldable design, in addition to a new smaller, wider non-Ultra model. Based on preorders, this was the right move to make.
I was frustrated with Google when the company abandoned the original Pixel Fold's shorter, wider design language and, instead, opted for a more generic design. While I don't see that changing this year, it would be the perfect answer to the missing smaller Google flip-style foldable.
Google is said to be upgrading the cameras in the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, something I'm excited to see. When the original Pixel Fold debuted, it's cameras blew every other foldable out of the water. Since then, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold and Pixel 10 Pro Fold haven't been nearly as impressive. If anything, this seems like the year Google should be pulling out all the stops considering Samsung has the edge on the thinnest and lightest foldable, and Apple is rumored to finally debut the foldable iPhone Ultra. Pixels still have a pedigree for having fantastic cameras, so we hope Google keeps that going!
The Pixel 11 Pro Fold is said to be thinner this year, likely owing to a combination of a reduced battery capacity plus a potential component redesign. Samsung only just got its foldables to a 5,000mAh capacity, so I'm not sure this is going to put Google at a massive disadvantage (especially if Tensor G6 is as efficient as we're hoping). If anything, maybe the Pixel 11 Pro Fold will be almost as thin as the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series.
Plus, of course l, we fully expect Google to retain the Pixelsnap Qi2/MagSafe magnets inside its Pixel 11 series (including the Fold), making the thought of a thinner Pixel 11 Pro Fold even more exciting.
It's no secret that the smartphone industry is feeling the impact of rising RAM prices right now. Memory costs have more than doubled over the past year, leaving brands with two choices: either increase prices or ship phones with less RAM.
And it looks like Google might be doing both.
Some leaks suggest the base Pixel 11 Pro models could drop from 16GB of RAM to just 12GB. If that's true, alongside the rumored price increase, it's going to be a pretty tough pill to swallow.
Speaking of price, all signs point to the Pixel 11 series getting more expensive this year. The base Pixel 11 is rumored to start at $899, up from $799 last year. The Pixel 11 Pro is expected to start at $1,099, while the Pro XL could come in at $1,299. Higher prices and potentially less RAM... it's shaping up to be a controversial year for Pixel fans.
There is one bit of good news, though. Google is reportedly dropping the 128GB model altogether, meaning every Pixel 11 is expected to start with at least 256GB of storage. So technically, if you were planning to buy a 256GB Pixel 10 anyway, you may end up paying roughly the same price this year. The downside, of course, is that you'll likely be getting less RAM in return.
Now, for one rumor that almost sounds too good to be true.Leaked marketing material suggests the Pixel 11 could charge up to 55% in just five minutes.If Google actually manages to pull that off, it'd be a massive jump over previous Pixel phones and one of the biggest charging improvements we've seen on Android in years. I'll believe it when I test it, but I'm definitely curious.
Let's talk about Gemini Intelligence. Google first teased it during The Android Show and gave us another glimpse at the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked, but the Pixel 11 launch is likely where we'll finally get the full story. From everything we've heard so far, Gemini Intelligence will power features like Rambler, AI widget generation, and much deeper on-device automation. The Pixel 11 series is also expected to be one of the first phones to support it out of the box. So here's my question: which Gemini Intelligence feature are you actually looking forward to trying?
I'm most excited about the agentic part of Gemini Intelligence. The ability to have an on-device AI handle mundane tasks like reordering essentials and booking a cab sounds great, and I can't wait to see how that will hold up in real-world use.
Okay—let’s get down to it. There’s been a lot of Pixel 11 rumors, and its colors have been no exception. The Pixel 11 is slated to debut in four colorways: Frost, Pistachio, Hibiscus, and Obsidian. There was a “Canyon” colorway mentioned too, which is almost a peachy color.
Something else that I’ve been curious about is Qi2 wireless charging. The Pixel 11 will have MagSafe-style magnets and charging capacities similar to the Pixel 10. However, what’s unclear is if there will be any noticeable increases. Many of the Pixel 10 devices offer 15W wireless charging, which left the Pixel 10 Pro XL with the better 25W capability. Maybe we’ll see this again on the Pixel 11 (but hopefully they all have 25W).
A phone’s battery is a crucial aspect. We don’t want to feel glued to our chargers. Rumors claim the Pixel 11 could grab a slightly larger 5,000mAh battery. For the Pixel 11 Pro and 11 Pro XL, some suggest a 4,805mAh and a 5,115mAh battery, respectively. These totals are slightly under what we got with the 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL.
For whatever reason, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold was said to receive quite a significant battery capacity drop. We saw rumors in July say the foldable could decline to 4,750mAh, down from a solid 5,000mAh battery in its 2025 counterpart. We know it has been tough with AI and RAM and memory, but dang…
As far as the Pixel 11 series’ design goes, that’s not expected to change. In my opinion, that’s not a bad thing. Google’s Pixel line is recognizable. That camera bar helps with that, too, of course. Its corners are comfortable, and the display sizes are in line with what we expect from flagships nowadays. The Pixel 11 is expected to keep a 6.3-inch display, with the Pixel 11 Pro XL getting a 6.8-inch screen.
Good morning, and welcome to our launch day coverage! The Made by Google event doesn't start until 6pm ET, but we don't have to wait that long to know all about the latest phones. The Google store countdown is set to lift at 10am ET, and that is presumably when the new phones will go live.
Why the delay with the launch event, you ask? Good question! It's clear that Google doesn't want to make this a traditional keynote, instead positioning it as a mainstream event. That's why it brought in comedian Trevor Noah to host this year, and there will be other celebrities at the event.
The strategy is is one that works, as the Made by Google 2025 event had over 8.4 million views, mostly because it was set up as a late-night show hosted by Jimmy Fallon. I guess today's event will also be about the vibes and a little less to do with specs. While Pixels are used mostly by enthusiasts, it's evident that Google wants to broaden that horizon and at least target a mainstream audience with its launch event.
If you're just joining us, hello, and it's great to have you! Google is set to unveil its 2026 hardware products today, and leaks point to five devices in total: Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, Pixel 11 Pro Fold, and Pixel Watch 5. Google teased the design of its phones, so it doesn't look like that at least will be changing, which is a good thing. Google's Pixels have their own visual flair, and it doesn't make sense to mess with a familiar aesthetic — just look at how little iPhones have changed in the last five years.
We've got plenty of Pixel 11 leaks, and they point to a device that's largely similar to last year. It's slated to have a 6.3-inch OLED panel, and should be powered by the new Tensor G6 platform. We should get 256GB of storage as standard, with 12GB of memory. Google is also said to use new cameras, and as always, we should see new software features and plenty of mentions of AI.
The Pixel 11 Pro and 11 Pro XL should be a more interesting upgrade, coming with new cameras and the new Tensor G6 platform. Google hasn't really talked much about Tensor G6, but it needs to be better at energy efficiency and sustained gaming — these have been long-standing issues with Pixels in general.
While the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is also set to get similar upgrades, it could have a smaller battery. Of course, leaks have been wrong in the past, and it doesn't make much sense to put a smaller battery in a foldable — all other brands are going with 5,000mAh as average. So we'll have to wait and see what Google does this year, because if the Pixel 11 Pro Fold does have a smaller battery, there had better be good justification as to why that's the case.
The little we've seen of the Pixel Watch 5 suggests it will be largely unchanged to last year's model. I still don't understand why brands need to launch a new product when there's nothing to showcase — Samsung did the same thing with the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2025, where the only thing different was the name and storage size. Still, having a new product means the older one inevitably goes on sale, and that means you can get some decent savings on the Pixel Watch 4.
Oh, and something called the Pixel Tag leaked a few weeks ago. This could be Google’s take on Samsung’s Galaxy SmartTag 2. While there's no shortage of trackers that work on both Find My and Find Hub, most don't have UWB, and that is where Google will likely want to differentiate things. The tech itself is pretty standard now, so the Pixel Tag shouldn't be too different to other trackers; all that remains to be seen is what it will cost.
What about software? The leaks haven't detailed much on that front, but it's a given that we'll hear about Gemini Intelligence. Google made a big deal about this at The Android Show earlier this year, and it should debut with the Pixel 11. The idea is that instead of just asking Gemini, you'll be able to task it with doing things on your behalf, such as booking an Uber, making a reservation at your favorite restaurant, or ordering daily essentials.
This is called agentic AI, where a digital assistant can understand contextual details and perform tasks on your phone. It is a pretty cool idea, and it will be interesting to see if Google actually manages to pull this off. Other brands have been talking about agentic AI on phones, but it has been pretty limited so far, and if anybody can do this, it would be Google.
We are several hours away from the live show. Last year, it was Jimmy Fallon. This year, it's Trevor Noah. Google seems to be continuing its tradition of bringing celebrities on stage for its Made by Google launch events.
Trevor Noah will be hosting this year's Pixel 11 launch event, and Google is also expected to bring in several high-profile guests, including Alex Cooper, Shubman Gill, Steven Gerrard, Ayami Nakajo, and NBA star Stephen Curry.
But I'm curious, do you actually enjoy celebrity appearances at tech launch events, or would you rather companies just get straight to the announcements? Let me know in the comments below.
It’s the big day. #MadeByGoogle. Everyone’s looking forward to the Google Pixel 11 series, and I’m among them. Google has surprised me recently. I think the Pixel 10 was a pretty decent phone; however, if you’ve followed my daily coverage, you’ll know that I do not like its graphical output. The phones are weak in that regard, and I would love nothing more than for Google to step it up.
One area that I will say Google has done well at is its Pixel cameras. I know someone who has a Pixel phone and they enjoy its zoom capabilities. Yes, the Pixel camera is pretty decent. If we’re talking about the Pixel 10 Pro, that camera felt pretty “stagnant,” per my colleague Nicholas Sutrich. Will that continue? I certainly hope not. Give me something new, exciting, refreshing. Pixels are damn recognizable. Take advantage of that and make it worthwhile.
I wouldn’t be me if I let a single moment go by without talking about the Pixel Watch. I got the first model and loved it. It’s so clean. The glass dome was a major kicker for me. I also enjoy the health and safety features Google has continued to put out over the latest iterations. We have our rumors, sure, but I’m more interested in what Google is going to say at its keynote this evening. We’ve had Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked. We’ve seen what the Watch 9 and Ultra 2 can do. But what can the Google Pixel Watch 5 do?