Google unveiled a long-awaited, Pixel-branded Bluetooth tracker alongside its latest phones and smartwatch.
It’s that time of year once again, folks. The biggest players in the smartphone space are unveiling their latest devices. It was Samsung’s turn last month and Apple will almost certainly step up to the plate in September, but right now it’s all about Google. As ever, some of the news leaked beforehand. Google even announced everything ahead of its showcase on Wednesday evening — it’ll still be worth keeping an eye on our liveblog in case there are any surprises! So far, though, Google has pulled back the curtain on the Pixel 11 phones, the Pixel Watch 5 and a new Bluetooth tracker called the Pixel Tag.
As expected, there are four new phones, the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL and Pixel 11 Pro Fold. Other than the fetching colors, the first thing you might notice about these handsets is the revamped camera bar. The module now features edge-to-edge glass with a metal frame. The camera bar in the Pro models also includes a new feature that we’ll get to in a bit.
The Pixel 11 phones all run on Google’s new Tensor G6 processor. The company says this offers up to 20 percent more power efficiency, 25 percent faster browsing and 15 faster app loading compared to the Tensor G5. It adds that on-device AI Gemini Nano “runs with higher quality and lower latency,” allowing for things like zippier live translations. A very cool accessibility feature ties into that.
<img src="https://comicvibe.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/it-1lZgvM-1786480780.jpg" alt="Google Pixel phones in pink.”>
On the camera front, the chipset is said to have an improved Image Signal Processor (ISP), while Google claims it has Tensor Processor Units that are 50 percent more powerful compared to the Tensor G5. On-device models can “process complex computational photography more quickly.” The company says the Pixel 11 lineup can help users take low-light shots up to 4.5 times faster than before, with what it’s calling Instant Night Sight and capture sharper images at further distances with up to 120x Pro Zoom.
Google says the Pixel 11 phones will run for over 30 hours (24 hours for the Pro Fold) before needing to recharge thanks to its Adaptive Battery tech. This adjusts how much power each app draws depending on how often you actually use it. After 30 minutes of charging over a wired connection, the company says a Pixel 11 or Pro battery will reach up to 55 percent of capacity, the Pro XL will hit up to 75 percent and Pro Fold will juice back up to as much as 50 percent. If you need to top up your battery even faster, an Extreme Charging Mode devotes performance to do just that.
As for wireless charging, the company said its magnetic accessory ecosystem Pixelsnap is getting speed boosts by up to 25 percent on Pixel 11, 29 percent on Pro, 17 percent on Pro XL and 20 percent on Pro Fold. It also notes that Pro models have an advanced cooling vapor chamber. In addition, the Pixel 11 phones all have an IP68 water and dust resistance rating. And, of course, they run on Android 17.
Inevitably, given the increased cost of components, there are price increases this year. Each Pixel 11 device is $100 more than the equivalent Pixel 10 model. That’s not great, but it could have been much worse. Google is offsetting that increase a bit for the Pixel 11 and 11 Pro by bumping up the base storage to 256GB. However, the Pro and Pro XL start with 12GB of RAM, down from 16GB in previous years (you can opt for a version with 16GB of RAM, though).
Pre-orders for all of the devices open today. They’ll ship starting August 20. Let’s dig into each phone and what you can actually do with them, before taking a look at the Pixel Watch 5 and Pixel Tag.
Google Pixel 11
The Pixel 11 starts at $899 for the 256GB configuration. It’ll be available in frost, pistachio, hibiscus and obsidian. Alongside the refreshed looks, the new chipset and storage upgrade are the biggest spec changes in the Pixel 11. The display, for instance, appears identical to that of the Pixel 10. It’s a 6.3-inch OLED screen with up to 3,000 nits of brightness and a resolution of 1,080 x 2,424.
The camera array is similar to the Pixel 10’s too, though (blessedly) the bar doesn’t stick out as much. It has a 48MP main sensor, 13MP ultrawide and 10.8MP telephoto. The main camera is larger, though. It has a wider field of view at 85 degrees vs. 82 degrees in last year’s model. It has a 1/1.56-inch image sensor size, compared with 1/2-inch in the Pixel 10. The array supports up to 30x Super Zoom, up from 20x in the previous gen. The front-facing camera is identical too.
The battery is slightly larger at 4,985mAh vs. 4,970mAh in the Pixel 10. Even so, Google claims to have extended the battery life on a charge by six hours.
Google Pixel 11 Pro and 11 Pro XL
The Pixel 11 Pro starts at $1,099, while the 11 Pro XL will run you at least $1,299. As mentioned above, they start with 12GB of RAM, down from 16GB in the last two generations. You can pay more to get up to 16GB of RAM, and upgrade the storage to 512GB or 1TB. The devices will be available in canyon, olive, fog and obsidian.
It’s a similar story with the displays here, though with a peak brightness of 3,600 nits they’re brighter than on the 10-series Pro models. Google says the Pro displays have double the scratch resistance of last year’s versions. The batteries are marginally larger as well, while the rear and front-facing cameras are essentially the same as before.
There are two main differences on the camera array this time, though. This year’s models support 120x Pro Zoom, up from 100x. The other feature is entirely new (well, at least for Pixel phones). It’s called HiLight.
This is a circular array of LED lights built around the flash. It caused some chin-scratching when Google teased the Pixel 11 Pro a couple of weeks ago, as we wondered what it was actually for. It may not come as a shock that the idea is to help minimize notifications and only alert you to things that really matter while your phone is face down.
At the outset, HiLight (which is also available on the Pixel 11 Pro Fold) will have two main use cases. It will indicate when Gemini is listening, processing and responding. HiLight can also let you know when a favorite contact is calling, including
It’s perhaps not the most exciting feature in the world (the Gemini aspect is profoundly boring). Still, anything that can help reduce the number of notifications we all deal with while making sure we don’t miss anything important is useful.
We’ve had some hands-on time with the Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL, so be sure to check out our initial impressions of the new handsets.
Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold
The Pixel 11 Pro Fold’s external screen is slightly larger than its predecessor at 6.5 inches (0.1 inch more). That changes the aspect ratio just a touch from 20:9 to 19.5:9. The external screen can refresh at 1-120Hz, which is a greater range than the 60-120Hz on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. Both displays have a peak brightness of 3,600 nits, up from 3,000 in the previous gen. Interestingly, the internal display has a 1,500,000:1 contrast ratio. It was 2,000,000:1 on the 10 Pro Fold.
The dimensions are the same as the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, but it’s quite a bit lighter at 8.4 ounces, versus 9.1 ounces. One thing that might account for that is the smaller battery. The 11 Pro Fold has a 4,750mAh battery, while the 10 Pro Fold has a 5,015mAh one.
The cameras are largely the same as last year’s model, though the main rear lens appears to be the same one as in the Pixel 11, given the field of view and image sensor size tweaks. Super Zoom, which cleans up artifacts from digital zoom, now extends to 30x rather than 20x.
The Pixel 11 Pro Fold, which we’ve also had a chance to try out, starts at $1,899. You can snag a version with 512GB or 1TB of internal storage if you need to store more stuff. You can opt for an obsidian or olive colorway here.
New phone features
So, the hardware hasn’t changed a ton this year outside of the internals and other minor differences. The Tensor G6 chipset, Android 17 and Gemini do help power new features, so let’s run through some of those.
Gemini Intelligence will include an AI agent that can handle tasks like ordering groceries, booking rides and even calling businesses for you, Google says. In the latter case, you’ll be able to see a live transcript and jump into the conversation whenever you want. This agent will only be available in the US at the outset.
In the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and India, Gemini Intelligence will be able to “understand your context, pull relevant information from across your favorite apps and proactively surface what you need, right when you need it,” Google says. It will only do so if you grant it permission to access data from relevant apps. For instance, Gemini Intelligence might be able to comprehend a class syllabus in Gmail and add all of the necessary books to a shopping cart. Or bring up your availability on your calendar if a friend texts to ask when you’re free to hang out. It can offer location-based suggestions on the lockscreen too.
A feature called Rambler, built into the Google keyboard, was previewed at I/O this year and will be coming to the new handsets. When you use voice-to-text, Pixel 11 phones can automatically remove filler words even as you, well, ramble. Live Translate can translate voice messages, videos and podcasts too.
There are lots of camera-centric features on Pixel 11 devices, such as being able to use Circle to Search within the viewfinder to get more context about the things you’re pointing your phone at without having to leave the Camera app or take a photo.
There’s a new feature in the Camera app called Magic Capture. This “catches the moment while you live it,” Google says. With one tap, your phone can capture video and photos of the moment, and automatically crop and unblur them. So you might not have to pay too much attention to your screen if you’re trying to capture part of a concert. (Please keep your phone away when you’re at a show unless you’re filming the entire thing and putting it on YouTube so I can watch too. Thanks.)
Another fresh Camera app feature is called Camera Looks. With this, you can take HDR+ photos using “your own set of distinct, professional-grade film styles and unique photo aesthetics,” The company adds that the feature will deliver consistent results for all skin tones. It sounds a lot like the Photographic Styles that Apple rolled out on the iPhone 16, too
On the video front, there’s a new stabilization feature for up to 8K video on Pro models, as well as a creator tab in the video settings. The Creator Suite tools include a teleprompter feature, updated speech enhancement capabilities and an option to automatically save clips in an album dedicated to a certain project.
Pixel 11 devices have a really interesting accessibility feature. Google says users will be able to communicate in sign language in front of the camera and this will be translated into text.
Google suggests this could help deaf and hard-of-hearing users communicate faster and more naturally with those who don’t understand sign language without having to type out what they want to say. That could be immensely useful if it works as well as promised.
The sign-to-text feature (which uses Google DeepMind’s Sign Language-to-Text model) is baked into Gboard and Live Transcribe, the company says. It’ll debut with English transcriptions of American Sign Language on Pixel 11 phones, and expand to more devices and phones soon.
Meanwhile, Google has rolled out a Quick Share update for Pixel 6 and later. Users will be able to share contact information, photos and videos by just tapping two compatible Android devices together. This feature is coming to more Android devices in the future, including the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Flip 8. Google bought Bump, an app that was able to pull off a similar trick, thirteen years ago.
Pixel Watch 5
Let’s move on to the other devices Google revealed today, starting with the Pixel Watch 5. That’s getting a price increase too, as it starts at $399. The previous gen started at $349. There’s also a Steph Curry-branded version that’ll run you $579. That features an exclusive band and “custom watch face designed to inspire peak performance and legendary style in every arena,” Google says. You know, in case that’s your bag.
There are more colors and designs for watch faces, including a motion-sensitive Weave face. If none of the pre-made face options takes your fancy, you can generate one with AI.
The Pixel Watch 5 — which has an Actua 360 domed display with Gorilla Glass — comes in obsidian, fog, olive and canyon. The olive option features a new satin pyrite casing (as does the Curry version).
Google says the 41mm version of the Pixel Watch 5 will run for up to 30 hours, while the 45mm model will keep going for up to 40 hours before you need to recharge (or up to 72 hours with battery saver mode enabled). The company claims the Quick Charge Dock adds up to 15 hours of use with a 15-minute top-up.
Like the Pixel 11 phones, the new watch has an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. Google says it can go under water to a depth of 50 meters.
The Pixel Watch 5 is no brighter than its predecessor, which also reached up to 3,000 nits. There are no real changes to other aspects of the display either. However, the Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 Accelerated chipset allows for 20 percent faster processing than on Pixel Watch 4. There’s also more space for your apps and data, with 64GB eMMC of onboard storage — double that of the Pixel Watch 4.
Google says it has upgraded the health sensing capabilities this time. On top of existing functions like looking for signs of atrial fibrillation and stress, the Pixel Watch 5 can keep track of blood pressure patterns and insulin resistance over time. The company claims the wearable offers smarter sleep tracking with features such as sleep breathing quality, which offers data on minute-by-minute variations in blood oxygen levels. A reworked Morning Brief offers a recap of your sleep data, along with a peek at the day’s weather forecast and your readiness levels.
The latter of those seems to tie into a new Readiness Score. Google says this is designed to help you figure out if it’s best to prioritize recovery or take in a workout. Along with other types of workouts, you’ll soon be able to use the Google Health app to set up tailored strength and HIIT circuits. Google says the Pixel Watch 5 “acts as your active partner, with audio and visual cues for every set and rest period.” There’s also a new Key Metrics view that’s designed to help you get insights on your performance as you work toward your goals.
Google Health Premium subscribers can access a personalized coaching tool through Gemini. The company says its Health Coach can set up dynamic fitness plans with workout suggestions and insights that adapt to your performance and schedule. It can offer recovery and sleep suggestions too.
On the subject of AI, of course there’s Gemini Intelligence support. Google says this can surface data from various apps (with your permission) and offer timely, personalized reminders of things like your flight details and ETAs at the bottom of your watch screen This would be similar to Smart Stack hints that appear at the bottom of Apple Watch faces, with recent versions of watchOS. There’s offline Gemini support that enables you to control things like timers and workouts with your voice even while you’re disconnected.
We’ve had a chance to go hands-on (or should that be on-wrist?) with the Pixel Watch 5. It at least feels snappier than the Pixel Watch 4, based on our time with it so far.
Pixel Tag
Here’s an entirely new device. Google has made its first Bluetooth tracker with its own branding. It’s dubbed the Pixel Tag, and it costs $30.
The Pixel Tag is, naturally, integrated into the Android Find Hub network. You can locate a tag and make it ring using a Pixel Watch, and do the same thingI). Along with Bluetooth connectivity, the Tag has an ultra-wideband chip for precision finding
The Tag is 1.8 inches tall, 1.1 inches wide and 0.2 inches thick. It weighs 0.4 ounces with a coin cell battery installed, which I would recommend having in place. Google says the Tag should run for a year before you need to swap the battery.
The device is made with polycarbonate and metal, and it should be able to withstand being immersed in up to a meter of water for as long as 30 minutes. Google says it’s compatible with devices running Android 9 and later.
