Google confirms Pixel 11 launch event for 12 August in New York City

Google has officially confirmed its next hardware event, sending press invitations on 7 July 2026 that set the date as 12 August 2026 in New York City. The Made by Google event will begin at 6 PM ET — notably later than the 1 PM ET start times Google has used at previous events — and marks the second consecutive year the company has chosen New York as its venue.

The invite, reported by outlets including The Verge and NokiaPowerUser, doesn't name any device directly, but the official wording leaves little to the imagination. It reads:

"Come celebrate with us in NYC on August 12. It's the night the next generation of Pixel arrives, and we want you there, live and in person, for it."

The invitation artwork reportedly shows a gold metal frame with a horizontal camera bar — details that align with months of leaked renders for the Pixel 11 series.

What's expected on the night

Google hasn't confirmed a product list, but leaks and reports point to a substantial line-up. Expected reveals include the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, Pixel 11 Pro Fold, and Pixel Watch 5 in two sizes. Leaked internal codenames, sourced from documents reported by Tech Advisor, follow a bear theme: 'cubs' for the standard Pixel 11, 'grizzly' for the Pro, 'kodiak' for the Pro XL, and 'yogi' for the Pro Fold.

If Google follows the same pattern as the last couple of years, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold will receive a later release date than the rest of the range — likely around October 2026 — meaning foldable fans will have to exercise some patience after the main event.

Leaked specs: what the rumours say

Google has confirmed nothing about specifications, but a substantial body of leaks has built up ahead of the announcement. It's worth treating all of the following as unverified until Google takes to the stage.

• Chip: The Tensor G6 is said to be built on TSMC's 2nm node, with a seven-core configuration featuring a single ARM C1-Ultra core at 4.11 GHz, four ARM C1-Pro cores at 3.38 GHz, and two ARM C1-Pro cores at 2.65 GHz.
• Modem: Reports suggest Google is switching from a Samsung modem to a MediaTek M90, which is expected to improve energy efficiency and network performance.
• Storage: Base storage is reportedly moving from 128GB to 256GB across the Pixel 11 lineup — a meaningful upgrade for anyone who has ever bumped up against the old entry-level cap.
• RAM: One leak claims Google is sourcing cheaper RAM from Chinese memory maker CXMT, and that this cost-cutting move could see the base model's RAM drop from 12GB to 8GB. This has not been confirmed.
• Display: Leaks point to a brighter Samsung M16 OLED panel across the range.
• Camera: A significant camera overhaul is reported, with a new 50MP main lens for both the Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro Fold. The Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL are said to receive all-new main and telephoto lenses.
• Pixel Glow: Code found in Android 17 Beta 4 suggests Google may introduce a feature called Pixel Glow, which would use an array of LEDs on the back of the phone to signal notifications when the device is face down. Users would reportedly be able to assign one of eight colours to specific contacts or app types. Whether this is exclusive to Pro models or also available on the base Pixel 11 is not confirmed.

The Pixel 11 series is expected to ship with Android 17 out of the box, though Google has not confirmed this. Android 17 was officially launched on 16 June 2026 and is already available on most supported Pixel devices.

UK pricing — leaked, not confirmed

Writing on Dealabs, leaker billbil-kun reports that Pixel 11 smartphones will cost £80 more than their Pixel 10 counterparts in the UK. That would put the standard Pixel 11 at £879, rising to £2,149 for the Pixel 11 Pro Fold with 1TB of storage. For context, the 256GB Pixel 10 launched at £899 in the UK, while the Pixel 10 Pro XL started at £1,199; the cheapest Pixel 11 Pro XL is said to start at £1,279. The same leaker claims Google will restrict 1TB configurations to a single colourway called Midnight Haze. None of this is confirmed by Google.

Pixel Watch 5

The Pixel Watch 5 is expected to appear alongside the phone lineup on 12 August. An FCC filing for four wearable devices carrying model numbers G25QD, G1XJ6, G0F3Y, and GFW3R — all confirmed to feature WiFi, Bluetooth, and LTE — represents the only official evidence of their existence so far. Rumours suggest the Watch 5 may use a custom Google Tensor wearable chip rather than the Snapdragon Wear Elite silicon used in every previous Pixel Watch, though this is unconfirmed. What is certain is that it will launch with Wear OS 7, which began rolling out to existing Pixel Watch models on 16 June 2026 and brings Wear Widgets, Live Updates, improved battery efficiency, and expanded safety features. Google has said Gemini Intelligence is coming to select Wear OS 7 devices later in 2026, but has not given a firm date.

When can you pre-order?

Pre-orders are expected to open immediately after the keynote concludes on the evening of 12 August, with the leaker behind the pricing claims also reporting that Google will begin shipping initial units on 20 August 2026. An exact UK on-sale date has not been confirmed. The 12 August event falls eight days earlier than last year's Pixel 10 unveiling on 20 August 2025, and positions Google comfortably ahead of Apple's typically September iPhone announcements.