Google signaled that consumers should expect to pay more for the upcoming Pixel 11, as the company can no longer absorb the soaring costs of memory components. In an interview with 9to5Google, Shakil Barkat, Google's Vice President of Devices and Services, indicated that the next flagship phone will be priced higher than the Pixel 10. He explained that Google has "shielded our consumers from supply fluctuations for as long as possible," but that "the economics have fundamentally shifted, and we're not immune to that."
The price hike appears to be driven by a surge in RAM prices, which has been exacerbated by the explosive growth of AI data centers that demand vast amounts of memory. This is not an isolated trend: companies across the tech industry, including Apple, Nintendo, Microsoft, and Roku, have all raised prices in response to the same supply pressures.
Barkat described the coming adjustment as "dynamic pricing to match supply realities," suggesting that future Pixel models could see periodic price changes. Rumors suggest the base Pixel 11 may start at $899, but with double the base storage of the current model—256GB instead of 128GB. Meanwhile, the Pixel 11 Pro might reduce RAM from 16GB to 12GB, possibly as a cost-saving measure.
The official reveal of the Pixel 11 lineup is expected on August 12th. Until then, the exact pricing and configuration remain speculative. The move underscores the broader impact of the AI boom on hardware costs, forcing smartphone makers to pass on higher component prices to consumers.
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