Google’s upcoming Pixel 11 series is expected to launch with higher price tags, driven by surging costs of DRAM and NAND memory components. The price increase, which will primarily affect premium Pixel models, reflects the broader impact of a global RAM shortage on smartphone manufacturing.
Memory Shortage Forces Google to Revisit Pricing
Speaking to 9to5Google, Google’s Vice President of Devices and Services, Shakil Barkat, stated that the company absorbed rising component costs for as long as possible but could no longer shield consumers from the impact. Morgan Stanley’s data shows that the cost of 1GB of RAM has spiked from approximately $2.80 (around Rs. 270) in 2025 to $12 (around Rs. 1,200) this year.
Memory vendors increased their prices following months of limited supply, resulting in higher production costs. Google is reportedly shifting some of the extra costs onto customers rather than shouldering the surge on its own. The company has notified its vendors about the planned price change for Pixel 11 phones.
The Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, and Pixel 11 Fold are among the devices expected to be affected. Google, however, has not officially confirmed the news yet.
Premium Pixel Models Likely to Be Hit Hardest
The new prices are unlikely to apply uniformly across the entire lineup. Models equipped with higher RAM capacities are expected to see the biggest impact since premium memory modules have experienced steeper changes than entry-level components.
The standard Pixel 11 will reportedly launch in the EU and the UK at starting prices of EUR 999 (approximately Rs. 1,08,000) and GBP 879 (about Rs. 1,12,000), respectively, for the base variant of 256GB storage.
The report indicates that Google is evaluating different pricing strategies depending on regional markets, component availability, and storage configurations before finalizing launch prices. Despite the anticipated increase, the Pixel 11 family is still expected to retain Google’s focus on AI-powered experiences, advanced computational photography, and deep integration with Android’s latest software features.
The Google Pixel 11 series will be launched in select global markets on August 12 at 3 pm PT (August 13 at 3:30 am IST) during the Made by Google event.