Google recently started sending out invites for its next Made by Google event, scheduled for August 12. The Pixel 11 series is expected to headline the show, and if the latest pricing leak is accurate, buyers may need to prepare for a higher starting price this year.
According to Dealabs, the Pixel 11 lineup will no longer start at 128GB. Google is reportedly making 256GB the new base storage across the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, and Pixel 11 Pro Fold. Prices also appear to be going up by 100 euros across the board.
So, what is actually changing?
The regular Pixel 11 is listed at 999 euros for the 256GB model, while the Pixel 11 Pro reportedly starts at 1,199 euros. The Pixel 11 Pro XL is listed at 1,399 euros, and the Pixel 11 Pro Fold starts at 1,999 euros.
Compared to the Pixel 10 series, the entry price appears to be around 100 euros higher for the Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro. The catch is that Google is also offering 256GB storage as the new base configuration, instead of 128GB.
There is another way to look at it. Compared against the 256GB launch prices of the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, the leaked Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro prices are unchanged. Google may not be charging more for the same storage on those two models. It may simply be removing the cheaper 128GB option and making 256GB the new starting point.
The Pixel 11 Pro XL and Pixel 11 Pro Fold look less forgiving, though. Those models appear to be getting a flat 100-euro increase across all storage options.
Why is Google doing it?
Other companies have also used this strategy as component costs rise. Apple recently removed the 256GB Mac mini from its lineup, effectively raising the cheapest available Mac mini from $599 to $799 without calling it a price hike.
For Google, the benefit is fairly clear. If RAM and NAND storage chips are getting more expensive, selling a cheaper 128GB model becomes less attractive. Instead of raising the price of that version, Google can remove it and make the 256GB model the entry point.
For buyers, it still means paying more upfront. But they are also getting more storage, which makes the increase easier to digest than a straight price hike for the same configuration. It also simplifies the lineup. Fewer storage options mean fewer variants to manufacture, ship, stock, and promote, which can help protect margins.
At this point, price hikes across consumer electronics are starting to look unavoidable. Apple has already raised prices on some products, and the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro models are also rumored to get significantly more expensive. Google’s approach may be one of the less painful ways to handle the increase, at least for the Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro.