Google hosted its annual Made by Google event on Wednesday night, offering a detailed look at the next generation of Pixel devices. The company announced a new lineup of Pixel phones, significant health features for the Pixel Watch 5, a new item tracker called Pixel Tag, and a fresh color option for the Pixel Buds Pro 2. The event was livestreamed on Wednesday at 6PM ET / 3PM PT. If you missed it, here are the seven biggest announcements from the event.
Pixel 11 launches with new colors and a price bump
The Pixel 11 starts the new lineup, and while the overall design remains close to the Pixel 10, Google introduced several new color options: frost, hibiscus pink, pistachio green, and obsidian black. The phone runs on Google’s Tensor G6 chip, which the company says delivers 25 percent faster web browsing and 15 percent faster app loading compared to the previous generation. Battery life is rated at over 30 hours, and wireless charging is 25 percent faster than the Pixel 10.
A major area of change is the camera system. The Pixel 11 includes a 48MP wide lens, a 13MP ultrawide lens, and a 10.8MP 5x telephoto lens on the back, along with a 10.5MP selfie camera on the front. Google says the 48MP wide lens has 56 percent more light sensitivity than the Pixel 10’s main camera, while the telephoto lens supports up to 30x Super Zoom. The camera bump is also more than 40 percent thinner than the one on the Pixel 10.
There is a notable trade-off for the upgraded specs: the Pixel 11 starts at $899, which is $100 more than last year’s model. However, the base configuration now includes 256GB of storage and 12GB of RAM, whereas the Pixel 10 started with 128GB of storage. The Pixel 11 launches on August 20th.
Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL introduce Google’s new HiLight LED
The Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL add a new feature to the camera bar called HiLight. It is a small LED indicator light designed for glanceable notifications. At launch, HiLight can light up for Gemini interactions and incoming calls from favorite contacts. Google says future updates will expand its capabilities, such as signaling message notifications from frequent contacts.
Both Pro models feature an upgraded display that reaches up to 3,600 nits of peak brightness, powered by the same Tensor G6 chip found in the standard Pixel 11. The camera system gets a significant overhaul: a new 48MP telephoto lens with up to 120x Pro Zoom, a new 50MP wide lens, a 48MP ultrawide lens, and a 42MP selfie camera. Google rates the battery life at over 30 hours, and wireless charging is 29 percent faster than the Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL.
The Pixel 11 Pro starts at $1,099 with 256GB of storage and 12GB of RAM, while the Pixel 11 Pro XL starts at $1,299 with the same specs. Higher-tier configurations with 512GB or 1TB of storage include 16GB of RAM. Both phones come in four colors: canyon, fog, olive, and matte obsidian.
Pixel 11 Pro Fold launches with durability upgrades
The Pixel 11 Pro Fold is Google’s latest foldable, and the company is emphasizing build quality this year. Google says the Fold has the thinnest bezels ever on any Pixel Fold model and claims it is three times as durable as the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. The phone also has IP68 water and dust resistance, and a back material that Google says is “designed to be nearly impossible to crack.”
The Fold’s displays are 20 percent brighter than last year’s model, with the inner display reaching up to 3,600 nits of brightness. It runs on the Tensor G6 chip and offers up to 24 hours of battery life. The camera system includes a new 48MP wide lens, a 10.5MP ultrawide lens, and a 10.8MP telephoto lens with up to 30x Super Zoom.
Pricing for the Pixel 11 Pro Fold has increased by $100, bringing the starting price to $1,899 for a base configuration with 256GB of storage and 16GB of RAM. It is available in olive and black.
Pixel phones are getting new camera and creator features
Alongside hardware improvements, Google is introducing a range of software features designed to help users capture and edit photos and videos. One of the headline additions is Magic Capture, a new camera capture mode that can pull still photos and short clips out of video recordings.
Google is also adding Camera Looks, which are customizable stylized presets that change how the phone processes an image rather than simply applying a filter. Available looks include Minimal, Editorial, and Digi, with Digi designed to mimic the aesthetic of digital cameras. The Pixel 11 Pro includes a new Pro Stable Video feature that Google says can record at up to 8K resolution.
For content creators, the Camera app has a new Creator tab with a suite of tools. These tools allow for trimming and reordering videos, an onscreen teleprompter, and improved Speech Enhancement. The combination of hardware and software updates reflects Google’s efforts to position the Pixel lineup as a viable tool for creators who want to produce polished content directly from their phones.
Pixel Watch 5 gets a suite of new health features
The Pixel Watch 5 may look identical to the Pixel Watch 4, but the changes are mostly on the inside. The watch introduces Breathing Emergency Detection, a follow-up to last year’s Loss of Pulse feature. This new detection mode can trigger an emergency call if the watch detects a significant, sustained drop in blood oxygen saturation (SpO2).
In addition, the Pixel Watch 5 can track nightly sleep breathing quality and summarize the data in monthly reports. Starting in September, Google will introduce Blood Pressure Trends and Insulin Resistance Trends, expanding the watch’s health-tracking capabilities. There are also new workout features, including AI-generated strength training plans and the ability to track reps directly from the watch. Google claims the Pixel Watch 5 offers the “most accurate GPS route tracking for exercise, outperforming Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Garmin Fenix 8 Pro.”
The price has increased by $50, with the Pixel Watch 5 starting at $399. It is available in two sizes, 45mm and 41mm, and four colors: black, white, olive green, and pink. There is also a Steph Curry special edition priced at $579, launching later on September 3rd.
Google’s launching its own version of Apple’s AirTag
Google is entering the item tracker market with the Pixel Tag, a direct competitor to Apple’s AirTag. The Pixel Tag will launch on November 11th and will cost $29 for a single unit or $99 for a pack of four. Unlike the circular AirTag, the Pixel Tag is oblong, measuring 1.1 inches by 1.8 inches.
The tracker has an IP67 water and dust resistance rating, meaning it can handle submersion in water up to a meter for 30 minutes. Google says the replaceable CR2032 coin cell battery will last over a year. The Pixel Tag is expected to integrate with Google’s Find My Device network, giving Android users a reliable way to track keys, bags, and other personal items.
Pixel Buds Pro 2 are getting improved ANC and a new color
Google is also updating its two-year-old Pixel Buds Pro 2 with a new olive green colorway that matches the olive Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro Fold. The new color is available starting August 12th. In September, Google will roll out a firmware update for the Buds Pro 2 that is intended to improve active noise cancellation performance.
The announcement gives existing Pixel Buds Pro 2 owners a reason to keep using their earbuds without needing to buy a new pair, while the new color option offers a fresh choice for buyers who want to match their devices. With these updates, Google continues to refine its ecosystem of hardware and software across phones, watches, trackers, and accessories.
Source: The Verge News