Google confirms Pixel 11 price hike, says Android will soon need less RAM

Ahead of its Made by Google event on 12 August, Google confirmed that it will be raising prices across its Pixel lineup due to what it calls an ‘unprecedented increase in memory costs’ (read: the AI boom that they themselves caused). However, the company says it is also working to make Android more efficient so future devices can deliver a smooth experience with less RAM.

Speaking to 9to5Google, Shakil Barkat, Google’s Vice President of Devices and Services, said the industry has never experienced a memory price increase like the one happening now. Citing Morgan Stanley data, Barkat claims that the cost of 1GB of RAM has increased from USD2.80 in 2025 to USD12 this year.

The tech giant says that it has absorbed the higher component costs for as long as possible, but the company can no longer avoid passing some of those costs to consumers. As a result, Google says pricing across the Pixel lineup will be adjusted. This includes the upcoming Pixel 11 series and other devices such as the Pixel Watch.

While Google has not confirmed the new prices yet, recent leaks suggest the Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro could cost USD100 more than their predecessors. The higher price though may at least come with a storage upgrade, with rumours suggesting the base storage may increase from 128GB to 256GB. Meanwhile, the Pixel 11 Pro XL and Pixel 11 Pro Fold are also expected to receive a USD100 price increase.

That being said, reports also suggest that the base configuration Pixel 11 Pro will be getting a downgrade too, going from 16GB of memory to just 12GB. To compensate for that, Google claims it’s making a dedicated effort to make Android and the wider app ecosystem more memory efficient, allowing devices with less memory to maintain a smooth user experience.

For Malaysian buyers, the big question is whether Google can keep Pixel competitive against flagship phones from Samsung and Apple, which already have strong brand recognition and wider availability. It will likely depend on promotions, trade-in deals and bundled services to make it more appealing compared to the competition. In any case, we’ll have to wait till 13 August local time to know exactly what the Pixel 11 offers and how much it’s priced at.

Read more of our articles below!