Made by Google ‘26: Pixel 11 series announced

In this article

What phones are in the Pixel 11 series?
Pixel 11 gets a welcome camera upgrade
Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL improve cameras and displays
Pixel 11 Pro Fold is lighter and tougher
Tensor G6 puts AI at the centre
Smarter camera features across the range
Is the Pixel 11 series a big upgrade?
Google Pixel 11 UK prices and release date

Google unveiled the Pixel 11 series at yesterday’s Made by Google ‘26 showcase, with four new smartphones coming to the UK: the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL and Pixel 11 Pro Fold.

This year's range is more refinement than reinvention, but upgraded cameras, the new Tensor G6 processor, faster charging and deeper Gemini integration bring some meaningful improvements.

What phones are in the Pixel 11 series?

Google has kept the same four-phone structure as last year:

Pixel 11
Pixel 11 Pro
Pixel 11 Pro XL
Pixel 11 Pro Fold

Pixel 11 gets a welcome camera upgrade

The standard Pixel 11 retains its 6.3-inch OLED display, with peak brightness of up to 3,000 nits, but there are more substantial changes elsewhere.

Its new 48MP main camera sensor offers improved light sensitivity, while the 5x telephoto camera now supports up to 30x Super Zoom, compared with 20x on the Pixel 10.

Google has also redesigned the familiar camera bar, reducing its thickness by around 40%.

Battery capacity has increased slightly to 4,985mAh, with Google claiming more than 30 hours of use with Adaptive Battery.

For most buyers, the Pixel 11 is likely to remain the sweet spot, combining Google's latest processor, telephoto camera and AI features without pushing beyond £1,000.

Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL improve cameras and displays

The Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL continue to offer largely the same experience in different sizes.

The Pro has a 6.3-inch display, while the Pro XL increases that to 6.8 inches. Both now reach up to 3,600 nits peak brightness and feature a new coating designed to provide more than twice the scratch resistance of their predecessors.

Photography remains the main reason to go Pro. Google has upgraded the main camera sensor and fitted a larger sensor to the 48MP telephoto camera, improving low-light performance. Portrait Mode now works at 5x zoom, while maximum Pro Zoom rises from 100x to 120x.

There's also a new feature called HiLight, which uses coloured LEDs around the camera flash to show notifications when the phone is face down. It can indicate Gemini activity or identify important callers using different colours.

One surprising change is RAM. Entry-level Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL models now start with 12GB rather than 16GB, although higher-capacity versions still offer 16GB.

Pixel 11 Pro Fold is lighter and tougher

Google's foldable arguably gets the most meaningful physical improvements.

The Pixel 11 Pro Fold is almost 10% lighter and around 1mm thinner than its predecessor, addressing one of the biggest drawbacks of book-style foldables.

Google has also redesigned the hinge and introduced new materials, claiming the phone is three times more durable than before while retaining IP68 water and dust resistance.

The outer display grows slightly to 6.5 inches, while both screens can reach 3,600 nits. Its rear camera now uses a 48MP main sensor and supports up to 30x zoom.

Charging has improved too, reaching 50% in around 30 minutes with 30W wired charging, alongside up to 25W Qi2.2 wireless charging. The trade-off is a smaller 4,750mAh battery.

At £1,799, it's still a niche purchase, but the reduced weight and improved durability make it a more convincing foldable than before.

Tensor G6 puts AI at the centre

All four Pixel 11 models run on Google's new Tensor G6 processor.

Google says web browsing is up to 25% faster, apps can launch 15% quicker and the Tensor Processing Unit delivers 50% more AI computing power.

That extra performance powers features such as Instant Night Sight, which captures low-light images faster, alongside more on-device Gemini features.

Gemini Intelligence can also work across compatible apps to surface relevant information when you need it, while Rambler improves voice typing by understanding more natural speech and removing filler words automatically.

Google has also added sign-to-text translation and integrated Circle to Search directly into the camera.

Smarter camera features across the range

Software remains a big part of Google's camera strategy.

Magic Capture analyses multiple frames from a single press of the shutter, helping select, crop and unblur still images while also capturing video.

Camera Looks lets you choose and customise different photographic styles before taking a picture, while Pro models gain Creator Suite, which adds tools including a teleprompter, improved speech enhancement and project folders for recorded clips.

Is the Pixel 11 series a big upgrade?

Not necessarily if you already own a recent Pixel.

The standard Pixel 11's display is largely unchanged, the Pro models retain a familiar design and some entry-level Pro versions actually lose RAM compared with last year.

The Pixel 11 Pro Fold is lighter and more durable, but its battery is smaller.

That makes this range easier to recommend to someone using a Pixel 8 or older than to an existing Pixel 10 owner.

For most people, the Pixel 11 looks like the best-value option. The Pixel 11 Pro suits buyers who want the best camera setup in a smaller body, while the Pro XL provides the same premium experience with a larger screen.

The Pixel 11 Pro Fold remains the specialist choice, but its lower weight and tougher design make it more appealing than Google's previous foldables.

Across the range, Google also promises seven years of Android OS, security and Pixel Drop updates, giving buyers plenty of long-term support.