Google is preparing to unveil its Pixel 11 series on Aug. 12, bringing higher baseline storage, increased prices across several models, and a new notification light feature called HiLight. The upcoming lineup introduces a $899 starting price for the base model as Google reportedly drops the 128GB tier.
The tech giant is set to reveal its next generation of smartphones alongside a potential Pixel Watch 5 and Pixel Tag smart tracker at a big Made by Google event in New York. Hosted by Trevor Noah, the presentation takes place at 6 p.m. ET, according to coverage from CNET. Ahead of habitual announcements, Andrew Lanxon and Prakhar Khanna of CNET report that a plethora of leaks and reveals have already dropped, with Google itself teasing a new Pixel 11 series directly on the Google Store landing page. The company is enticing would-we customers with an exclusive offer
if they sign up to receive email notifications about the news launch. While there is no word on the value of this offer, fine print at the bottom of the page states that it can be used only for the purchase of the advertised specified Pixel 11 (unlocked or Fi) devices,
with codes and redemption instructions emailed after sign-up on Aug. 11.
Pricing and Baseline Storage Changes Across the Pixel 11 Lineup
The upcoming hardware release brings significant adjustments to storage configurations and retail costs. Multiple industry reports—including deleted Amazon listings captured by Android Authority and Droid Life, alongside confirmation from Roland Quandt of WinFuture—indicate that Google is dropping the 128GB storage model from the Pixel 11 lineup, raising the starting price to that of the 256GB model across the series.
Because the entry-level tier now starts at 256GB, prices are shifting upward compared to previous models. The standard Pixel 11 price starts at $899, which is the same as the comparable 256GB Pixel 10. Meanwhile, the Pixel 11 Pro’s price appears to start at $1,099, matching the comparable 256GB Pixel 11 Pro. However, premium Pixel models face a price hike beyond that, likely due to the current memory shortage crisis. The Pixel 11 Pro XL and the Pixel 11 Pro Fold start at $1,299 and $1,899, respectively, which is $100 more than their Pixel 10 predecessors and in line with earlier speculation that they will be 100 euros more expensive than their Pixel 10 counterparts. Memory configurations vary by tier, with 256GB models featuring 12GB of RAM, while higher configurations come with 16GB of RAM.
HiLight Customization and Face-Down Notification Features
Beyond hardware pricing, the Pixel 11 series is expected to serve as a showcase for Google’s AI initiatives, with the company also expected to announce Android features that are unique to the Pixel 11 initially to help it stand apart from the competition. Among these hardware additions is a feature initially referred to in leaks as Pixel Glow. According to 9to5Google, the Pixel Glow will use subtle light and color on the back of your device to inform you of important activity when it's face down.
Roland Quandt of WinFuture indicated that this feature is actually called HiLight, according to what appears to be official French marketing materials, and a new Pixel 11 Pro teaser video from Google—alongside new Pixel 11 Pro Fold photos from leaker Evan Blass—seems to feature a light-up dot exemplifying this function.
Deeper integration details emerged from application code analysis. An “APK Insightpost detailing version 4.85 of Google Contacts reveals that the app has gained strings outlining upcoming support for HiLight—codenamed
glowin strings—by letting users assign a
glow color” to their favorite contacts when they call. The available Pixel 11 HiLight colors are Blue, Cyan, Green, Orange, Pink, Purple, Teal, White, and Yellow, matching how Pixel VIPs is integrated with the app.
Hardware Design and Launch Timeline
Physically, leaks show the Pixel 11 phones are practically identical to their predecessors. Android Headlines found leaked CAD images that appear to point to the Pixel 11 having thinner bezels and an all-black camera bar, while display sizes include a 6.3-inch display on the Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro, a 6.8-inch display with the Pro XL, and a 6.4-inch outer display on the Pro Fold (though the leaked Amazon listing seems to show a 6.5-inch outer display instead). Following the Wednesday reveal event, the Pixel 11 series will be available a few weeks after that, repeating last year’s schedule where the Pixel 10 lineup dropped in late August and the Pro Fold arrived in October.
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