Google today confirmed that it will hold a new product launch conference on August 12 to officially launch the new generation of Pixel 11 series smartphones, which is about one month earlier than Apple is expected to release the new iPhone. By then, Google is expected to release Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, and the new Pixel 11 Pro Fold folding screen model.
According to leaked CAD renderings, the overall design of the Pixel 11 series is further slimmed down compared to the Pixel 10. The body is slightly thinner and the borders have been narrowed. At the same time, the iconic all-black one-piece rear camera bar design has been continued and improved. The latest generation of Pixel folding screen phones is expected to be similar in appearance to the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, but the body may be thinner and the rear camera bar will also have some detailed adjustments. According to reports, the thickness of the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is about 10.1mm in the folded state and about 4.8mm when unfolded, which is not far from the thickness of Apple’s rumored foldable screen iPhone.
In terms of storage strategy, Google also plans to follow Apple's adjustments. Reports pointed out that Apple canceled the 128GB starting capacity last year and directly increased the starting capacity of iPhone 17 to 256GB, and Google will take the same approach on the Pixel 11 series. In addition, the entire Pixel 11 series may face price increase pressure this year. Leaked information from Europe shows that compared with the previous generation, the official pricing of the new phone in the European market may be increased by about 100 euros overall. According to industry insiders, most equipment manufacturers will collectively increase selling prices in 2026. The main reason is that the cost of DRAM has soared, driving up the cost of the entire machine.
The trend of rising prices isn't just happening in the Android camp. Apple has fully raised the prices of its Mac and iPad product lines in June this year, and the new iPhone is also believed to be more expensive than the entire iPhone 17 series when it is released this fall. Analysts predict that the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max could see price increases of up to $200.
From the perspective of product positioning, the Google Pixel 11 series will compete head-on with Apple’s high-end iPhone 18 Pro models this year. Apple is expected to hold a press conference in September to launch iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the first foldable screen iPhone. The difference is that Apple won't release a base model equivalent to the Pixel 11 this year, as the company plans to delay the launch of the standard iPhone 18 until spring 2027. In other words, the high-end market in 2026 will be a direct competition between the entire Pixel 11 series and the iPhone 18 Pro series, and Apple’s first foldable iPhone will compete with Google Pixel foldable models and Samsung foldable flagships.
Samsung will also continue to release new products ahead of Apple, and the next Galaxy Unpacked event is expected to be held in late July. It is reported that Samsung will launch Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Flip 8 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide, which features a wide folding form. Among them, the unfolded screen aspect ratio of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide is considered to be closer to the rumored design direction of the folding screen iPhone.
As Apple joins the folding screen mobile phone track, the market structure will further change. Manufacturers including Samsung and Google have been deeply involved in this field for many years, and product form and structural design are constantly iterating. Samsung started the mass production of folding screen mobile phones as early as 2019, while Google's first Pixel Fold was launched in 2023 and has now accumulated multiple generations of product experience. Against this background, Google chose to be the first to release the Pixel 11 series and a new generation of folding screen models in mid-August, not only to seize the time window, but also to set the competitive tone for the upcoming Apple folding screen iPhone and iPhone 18 series.