Google has confirmed the Pixel 11 series will carry a higher price tag when it launches in August, with a company executive pointing to an unprecedented surge in RAM memory costs as the culprit. The admission came in an interview with 9to5Google this week, where Google VP of Devices and Services Shakil Barkat described a supply-chain shock that the entire consumer electronics industry is grappling with.
Barkat told 9to5Google that “there’s never been an increase in memory prices like the world’s going through right now.” Google had, he said, “shielded our consumers from supply fluctuations for as long as possible” — but the “economics have fundamentally shifted and we’re not immune to that.”
He cited Morgan Stanley data showing that 1 GB of RAM jumped from $2.80 in 2025 to $12 this year — a more than fourfold increase in under twelve months. 9to5Google reported that Google’s hardware division framed the situation as a “severe, supplier-driven RAM memory crisis.” The entire Pixel family — phones, watches, and likely future devices — will see price “adjustments” that “will be rolled out dynamically to match supply realities.”
What buyers can expect
Google is not sharing final numbers until the Made by Google event on August 12, but recent leaks give a rough picture. The entry Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro are expected to increase by roughly $100, though both may double their base storage to 256 GB — softening the blow for buyers who would have paid for a storage upgrade anyway. The Pixel 11 Pro XL and Pixel 11 Pro Fold, meanwhile, are tipped for a straightforward $100 increase with no storage compensation. None of those figures are confirmed by Google.
More telling is what has already shown up in spec leaks: the entry Pixel 11 Pro is rumored to drop from 16 GB of RAM to 12 GB. That is a significant regression on paper, and one that Google appears to be preparing the ground for. Google is “aggressively engineering its way through these challenges,” and Barkat pointed to a “dedicated effort” to drive down memory requirements across Android and the app ecosystem so as to “enable devices to have less RAM while maintaining a great user experience.”
Google is also crediting its full-stack approach — custom Tensor silicon, on-device AI models, and Android software — with squeezing more efficiency out of less hardware. Barkat said buyers can still expect promotions, trade-in offers, and bundled perks like Google One, which he called a “central part of how we make the Pixel lineup accessible.” Google says it remains committed to “delivering premium experiences at an accessible value.”
Whether that engineering can make 12 GB feel like 16 GB in daily use is something reviews will have to answer.
The bigger picture
The price ripple may not stop at the Pixel 11. Barkat confirmed the disruption will also impact “in-market Pixel phones,” which presumably means the Pixel 10a, not even halfway through its lifecycle as Google’s mid-range option. No timeline was given for existing-device price changes, but the implication was clear enough that 9to5Google advised prospective buyers to act sooner rather than later.
Google is not alone. The RAM cost surge is an industry-wide problem, and other Android OEMs will face the same math — Qualcomm has separately told customers that Snapdragon chip prices are rising by a double-digit percentage from September. What makes Google’s situation notable is the timing: the Pixel 11 launches directly into this cost spike with no in-between generation to absorb it. Samsung, Xiaomi, and others may have similar conversations with consumers before the year is out.
Source: 9to5Google
