Google confirmed that upcoming Pixel devices will see price adjustments, citing a dramatic increase in memory component costs as the primary driver. The shift was foreshadowed by a leak in early July, which indicated that entry-level configurations of the Pixel 11 series would rise by €100. That change is partly tied to a reported decision to discontinue 128 GB storage options, while 256 GB and 512 GB variants are expected to maintain last year’s pricing.
Supply pressures reshape memory strategy
Volatile conditions in the DRAM market are also influencing hardware choices. Industry rumors indicate that certain versions of the Pixel 11 Pro will ship with 12 GB of RAM, a step down from the Pixel 10 Pro, which uniformly offered 16 GB. Shakil Barkat, Google’s Vice President of Devices and Services, stated that costs for DRAM have more than quadrupled compared to the previous year, making such adjustments unavoidable. Google has so far held existing Pixel pricing steady, but future pricing will be managed more dynamically in response to component market shifts.
Broader impact on current and future models
The pricing strategy will not be limited to next-generation phones. Although the Pixel 10 series is scheduled to be replaced by the Pixel 11 lineup starting August 12, the Pixel 10a is planned to stay on sale until spring 2027 and is likely to undergo a price increase before it is phased out. To offset the higher upfront cost of the Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro, Google intends to lean on launch promotions, trade-in offers, and bundled subscription deals to preserve buyer appeal.
Software efficiency gains priority
Alongside hardware changes, the company is accelerating software optimizations to ensure consistent performance across devices with different memory capacities. Google confirmed that it is refining Android to lower RAM requirements, aiming to deliver a smooth user experience even on smartphones equipped with less memory.
Source: 9to5google.com