Google has confirmed that the upcoming Pixel 11 series will cost $100 more than its predecessor, attributing the increase to a sharp rise in memory prices driven by AI infrastructure demand.
Speaking to 9to5Google, Shakil Barkat, Google’s Vice President of Devices and Services, said the company had absorbed higher component costs for as long as possible but was now forced to adjust prices across the Pixel lineup, including the Pixel Watch, in line with market conditions.
Barkat cited Morgan Stanley data showing that the price of 1 GB of RAM has climbed from $2.80 in 2025 to around $12 in 2026—an increase of more than six times. As a result, the memory cost of a flagship smartphone with 16 GB RAM has risen from roughly $45 to about $192 per unit.
The increase is largely attributed to memory manufacturers prioritizing production of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) for AI data centers, leaving less supply available for smartphones and other consumer electronics.
Google is expected to unveil the Pixel 11 lineup at its Made by Google event on August 12, but leaked retail listings already suggest the base Pixel 11 will start at $899, compared with $799 for the Pixel 10. The leaks also indicate that Google will discontinue the 128 GB storage variant, making 256 GB the new entry-level option.
The Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL are also expected to receive $100 price increases. Leaked specifications further suggest the 256 GB Pro models may ship with 12 GB RAM instead of 16 GB.
To counter rising hardware costs, Google said it is redesigning Android to use memory more efficiently. According to Barkat, the company is optimizing the operating system, apps, and on-device AI models so future devices can deliver similar performance while requiring less RAM.
Google joins a growing list of technology companies increasing prices as AI reshapes the semiconductor market. Samsung has already raised prices on parts of its Galaxy S26 lineup, while Apple is widely expected to increase iPhone prices later this year. Qualcomm has also warned customers of double-digit price increases for chips shipped after September 1.
