The rumor mill is churning quicker than ever with regards to the Google Pixel 11, anticipated to debut this August. I’ve been following Pixel releases and Android OS updates because the first telephone launched a few years in the past. Whereas there’s been fairly a little bit of hypothesis a few attainable downgrade by way of RAM and even processing velocity, the sample with every Pixel launch has been extra of every part – extra RAM, extra velocity, and (particularly now) extra AI.
One motive for that’s the fierce competitors on this area. Samsung not too long ago launched a stunningly highly effective, AI-enhanced smartphone, the Galaxy S26. I examined the telephone extensively and located the battery life to be higher than the Pixel 10 Professional by far, the AI options to be genuinely stunning and a serious leap ahead, and the general velocity to be phenomenal for gaming, artistic work, picture and video modifying, and nearly every part else.
There’s additionally new competitors. Aside from Apple’s iPhones, which nonetheless dominate the US market, even when Android telephones are promoting a lot quicker in the remainder of the world, TCL is an rising contender for extra area of interest telephones just like the NXTPAPER 70 Professional. I additionally examined that not too long ago and the minimalistic design, matt display, and book-reading mode (which turns the show black and white and disables most apps) are jaw-dropping and unique.
There’s no query RAM has change into costlier, and there’s at all times an opportunity Google will downgrade the RAM allotment on some non-pro fashions. Nonetheless, I’ve a number of predictions (a few of my very own and a few gathered from different leaks and forecasts) for brand spanking new and extra highly effective AI options, {hardware} updates, and Android OS tweaks on the Pixel 11.
1. AI options
Foundry
We already know Google is specializing in agentic AI, which lets you assign to a bot duties similar to creating abstract notes from Google Docs. As one instance amongst tons of and even hundreds, you may ask AI to analysis a subject for college homework. You’d assign the parameters, which subjects to look into, and even the timeframe. Gemini would do this be just right for you and report again after a number of days with a abstract of the findings.
On the Pixel 11, I predict this agentic strategy will broaden even additional. We’ll be capable of ask Gemini to do much more work for us that faucets into the options of the telephone. Right here’s an instance of how this might work. Let’s say you want to lift the colour saturation of your photographs when modifying them. The Pixel 11 may allow you to ask Gemini to make photographs extra vibrant after taking photographs, then publish the perfect ones to Instagram (primarily based on a criterion you set, like that includes smiling faces). Gemini would then edit every picture and publish till you ask it to cease.
This kind of interplay already exists to some extent. Gemini on the Pixel 10 Professional can create ringtones, discover instructions and begin the nav for you, allow don’t disturb, and allow battery saver mode. I consider it will evolve additional, with extra linked duties.
2. {Hardware} modifications
Google has some severe competitors with the iPhone 17 Air
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
It’s a protected guess to say the Pixel 11 will probably be thinner, since that’s a sample with telephones of late. The iPhone 17 Air that got here out final fall is just .22 inches thick, so I anticipate Google to be aware of that. One prediction advised the brand new mannequin would solely be solely .03 inches thinner than the Pixel 10, and there’s no signal that Google is prepping a Pixel 11 Air (or comparable, similar to a Pixel Skinny). I’m divided on whether or not thinner telephones make sense. I like having a bit of heft and grip to my telephone, so lighter and thinner may make the units simpler to drop. Additionally, it means much less energy, much less RAM, and a much less succesful digicam.
Rumors are flying that the Pixel 11 Professional/Professional XL/Fold may even have much less RAM than the present mannequin, dropping to only 12GB from of the 16GB of earlier fashions, and a base mannequin that drops from 12GB to 8GB. The offender is the excessive price of RAM proper now, however I’ll be stunned if that occurs.
AI makes use of a variety of processing energy and it wants the RAM, particularly if the brand new mannequin does management extra options on the telephone, similar to digicam and social media apps. Gemini itself wants reminiscence, but when extra agentic AI options are coming, we’ll want the RAM for these linked, AI-controlled duties.
A leak in regards to the processor appears to point that the Pixel 11 will use the Tensor G6 processor and add a number of new sensors for the digicam. Native storage will doubtless bump as much as 256GB.
3. Android tweaks
Credit score: Google
During the last 12 months, I’ve tracked the Android drops intently. These are the common software program updates that provide a number of new and highly effective options to make your smartphone much more helpful. It’s a method to maintain tempo with innovation and enhance Android with out doing a full launch. The newest launch features a consolation mode that’s simpler on the eyes, new icons and themes, and a “strive it on” characteristic for purchasing.
We already know the Pixel 11 would be the first telephone to make use of Android 17, and Google has introduced a number of options associated to video stabilization and different professional video updates. My favourite new characteristic is named Pause Level, which introduces a wellbeing characteristic that forces you to take a breather if you use sure apps ( you, Instagram) earlier than you proceed doomscrolling. Like every well-being characteristic, it’s straightforward to disable. Nonetheless, I like that it’s a brief pause that serves as a reminder that these apps may be addictive.