Google Pixel 11 Rumors: Release Date, Codename, Camera Features, And Everything Else We Know So Far

Ryan Haines / Android Authority

The Google Pixel 9 series is only a few months old, and its successor isn’t expected until late 2025. Despite this, we already have substantial information about the Pixel 11 series, courtesy of a significant Google Chips division leak from the Android Authority team. Will the Pixel 11 bring noteworthy changes to Google’s lineup? The answer might be yes, though whether these changes are improvements will likely depend on individual preferences.

Let’s explore the current Pixel 11 rumors and a short wish list for what we’d like from the Pixel family in 2026.

What is the most likely Google Pixel 11 release date?

Ryan Haines / Android Authority

If Google continues this strategy, we could see the Pixel 11 in August 2026, with the OS update following in October 2026. Alternatively, a return to simultaneous hardware and software launches in October isn’t out of the question. Some suggest the Pixel 9’s strange release cycle was simply a way to bring the Pixel Fold into the family, which is certainly possible.  The Pixel 10’s release in 2025 should provide more clarity on the timeline.

Google Tensor G6

The Google Tensor G6 (codenamed Malibu) will be TSMC’s second chip but don’t expect it to be a major leap forward from the Tensor G5. The CPU will make some minor improvements, including the move to TSMC’s next-gen N3P process node, the same process rumored to feature on the Apple A19. Still, in many ways, it is a sidegrade.

This change is due to Google’s desire to price the Pixel competitively, which is leading it to cut some costs while also improving the areas where customers feel the phone needs the most focus. While some of us crave a powerhouse chip, the reality is that most Pixel consumers have bigger complaints about battery life and thermals than any other aspect.

The Tensor G6 will adopt a single unannounced ARM Cortex-X930 core and six Cortex-A730 cores, which will allow the chip to focus on power consumption improvements over raw performance gains. As a result, the chip will be more power-efficient and produce less heat. The most notable step back here is the GPU, as it is set to lose ray tracing, have a smaller DSP, and feature half the system-level cache of previous Tensor chips to cut costs.

Beyond improvements to battery life and thermals, AI will continue to be a big priority for the Pixel 11. The Tensor G6 will reportedly have a new TPU and a secondary nano-TPU that will help handle lower-power tasks more efficiently, including background health-related features such as sleep and breathing monitoring, cough detection, and even fall detection.

Camera improvements, both hardware and software side

Ryan Haines / Android Authority

Some of the bigger Pixel 11 features worth highlighting include the debut of 4K 30fps Cinematic Blur and a new video relight feature that will let you tweak lighting even after it’s already been recorded. There’s also a new Ultra-low Light video feature in the works, which would improve picture quality even in situations with lighting conditions of 5-10 lux. This is basically the lighting you’d get from a dimly lit room or a cloudy dusk sky. As you can imagine, this feature will also require improved hardware, but it’s too early to know anything concrete about the upgrades there.

The Pixel 11 family may also introduce a new telephoto feature that uses machine learning in combination with camera hardware to achieve 100x zoom for photos and videos. It’s unclear if this will be a feature in all models or, more specifically, aimed at the Pro family. If it’s mostly an AI trick, it could likely end up in all Pixel models, but with possibly better performance on a Pro device.

While not directly related to photography, our Google chip leak also indicates the company is at least considering adding a new under-display infrared (IR) camera to the Pixel 11. This camera would allow it to improve the security of face unlock and address current limitations. It’s worth noting that Apple is also rumored to be providing under-display Face ID tech around 2026, so it’s likely Google wants to ensure it matches its competitor here.

What might the Google Pixel 11 price be?

Considering the Pixel 10 is still nearly a year away, there’s not much we can say about the Pixel 11’s price tag without a crystal ball. That said, previous trends can help us make a guess. The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro sold for $599 and $899, but the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro both saw increases of $100 each. Things got even more complicated with the arrival of the Pixel 9 family, which included a variety of new models and a price increase of $100 for the base Pixel 9.

Can we expect more increases? Hopefully, no. A lot of these rapid increases could easily be attributed to the pandemic and the declining economy over the last few years, which led to rapid inflation. This process is slowly starting to slow down, so hopefully, the Pixel 10 and Pixel 11 series will see pricing across the entire lineup that is very similar or identical to the Pixel 9 family. But again, it’s just too early to know for sure.

Should you wait for the Google Pixel 11?

Robert Triggs / Android Authority

The Pixel 11 isn’t likely to arrive until 2026, so if your phone is ready for an upgrade now, we wouldn’t recommend waiting until then. That said, if your phone is just starting to show its age a little, you might want to hold off upgrading to a Pixel for two reasons.

First, there’s the switch to TSMC, starting with the Pixel 10. This is expected to result in a higher-quality product overall, with notable performance gains over the Pixel 9. This year’s Pixel is also a major milestone for the brand, marking ten years since the line first arrived on the scene, so it’s very possible this model could have some fun surprises in store for us.

Need a new phone now? The Galaxy S25 series is likely a better fit if you care about power and performance gains while still maintaining AI and camera prowess. We’d specifically recommend the S25 Ultra ($1299.99 at Amazon), but you won’t be going wrong with the base S25 ($799.99 at Amazon) and bigger S25 Plus ($999.99 at Amazon) either.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

100x zoom • Big battery • 7 years software support

Samsung’s best for 2025

Simply put, this is Samsung’s very best phone in 2025. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is a 6.9-inch QHD+ device with 12GB of RAM, 256GB+ of storage, embedded S Pen, and the overclocked Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC. The key upgrade over the lower S25 models is a 200MP main camera and 100x Space Zoom.

If you are more of a Pixel fan, the Pixel 9 is still a great device, just be aware the Pixel 10 may be a bigger step forward.

Google Pixel 9

Google Pixel 9

Powerful Gemini AI tools • Excellent build quality, refined design • Extensive update policy

The vanilla Pixel 9.

The Pixel 9 rocks a 6.3-inch display, Tensor G4 chipset, 12GB of RAM, and at least 128GB of internal storage.

Google Pixel 11: What we want to see

Time for a telephoto lens

Ryan Haines / Android Authority

There’s a lot to like about the Pixel series, but a constant complaint in our reviews is the lack of a telephoto lens on the base model. While the base iPhone 16 doesn’t have Zoom, its biggest Android rival does. Yes, I’m talking about the Galaxy S25 series. Google is continually praised for its great camera experience compared to the competition, but this is one area where it lags behind Samsung, and it’s time for this to change.

As you likely read above, the good news is that there are early rumors suggesting Google may finally listen and give us a telephoto camera system. Reportedly, a new next-gen telephoto camera with 100x zoom capabilities is being developed for the Pixel 11 series. Technically, it would use AI in conjunction with telephoto hardware to achieve such an impressive zoom level, but it would nonetheless be a significant step up for the Pixel series.

Now, it’s very possible that this high-end telephoto lens will be reserved for Pro models, but at the very least, it is plausible that the base Pixel 11 could get a basic telephoto lens to provide better feature parity with the Galaxy series.

Faster charger times are a must and so is a battery life that easily lasts a day or beyond

Ryan Haines / Android Authority

In our Pixel 9 review tests, the Pixel 9’s slightly upgraded 27W charging speeds were still painfully slow, taking about 85 minutes to fully charge the phone. While devices like the Galaxy S24 and S25 aren’t much faster, several Android brands, including OnePlus and Motorola, have speeds double or even triple that of what the Pixel 9 is offering. It’s possible this will change a little with the Pixel 10, but we doubt it.

On the bright side, even if Google sticks with 27W charging for its base model, we should still see battery life improve. According to Google’s leaked roadmap, the Tensor G6 will focus more on battery life and thermals over all other hardware upgrades. This means we could finally see better battery life that reliably lasts a full day for power users, with the potential to stretch into a second day for those of us who are more conservative with our phone use.

A new version of Android from day one, but without sacrificing stability

Robert Triggs / Android Authority

Again, we mentioned earlier that it is possible the Pixel 9 was only released a few months early in 2024 to bring the Pixel Fold into the Pixel Pro family. If the Pixel 10 returns to its usual launch time, we could see Google go back to its old method of releasing new versions of Android alongside new Pixel hardware. I’d be happy with this, as there’s something odd about (arguably) the biggest Android flagship of the year not running the latest version of its own OS.

At the same time, many have pointed out that the delayed schedule allowed more time to refine AI features and other software improvements on the Pixel 9 instead of worrying about the bugs that typically accompany a major OS upgrade. After all, Pixels have had a history of major software issues at launch.

Ultimately, I want Google to return to releasing its Pixel alongside new Android releases, but without sacrificing stability. Is it possible to have both? Yes. With the release of Pixel feature drops and other incremental updates, these larger OS updates aren’t as bloated nor as buggy at launch, so it’s really not as big of a problem as it once was.