Google Vice President Shakil Barkat confirmed that the upcoming Pixel 11 smartphone lineup will feature price increases due to rising global memory costs and ongoing RAM supply chain constraints.

Key Points

• Google plans to announce the next generation of Pixel devices during a scheduled event on August 12.
• The base model Pixel 11 is expected to retail for $899, featuring an upgraded 256GB of storage.
• Rumors suggest the Pixel 11 Pro may transition from 16GB to 12GB of RAM to manage production costs.
• Industry-wide memory price hikes have already impacted major technology companies including Apple, Microsoft, Nintendo, and Roku.
• Google stated that it can no longer shield consumers from shifting economic realities and supply fluctuations in the hardware market.

Why it Matters

This pricing shift reflects the broader impact of the artificial intelligence boom, which has strained global memory supplies and increased component costs for consumer electronics manufacturers. As hardware companies pass these expenses to consumers, the market may see a sustained trend of higher entry-level prices for flagship mobile devices.