Pixel 11 price increase: the RAM shortage goes retail
The Pixel 11 price increase is Google’s response to a global memory cost spike, forcing the company to raise prices on upcoming and existing Pixel phones as RAM becomes dramatically more expensive and harder to source for new devices.
Google’s VP of Devices and Services, Shakil Barkat, has confirmed that “adjustments” are coming to Pixel pricing, to be “rolled out dynamically to match supply realities.” Those supply realities are brutal: industry data Barkat cited shows that 1 GB of RAM has jumped from USD 2.80 (approx. RM13) to USD 12 (approx. RM55) in a year, a six-fold leap that no phone maker can quietly absorb forever. In plain terms, the RAM shortage for phones has stopped being a behind-the-scenes supply chain story and is now a line item on your receipt. Google says rising supplier costs will hit both current and upcoming Pixel devices, meaning the pain won’t be limited to early adopters of the Pixel 11.
What Barkat confirmed about Pixel 11 and Pixel 10a prices
Barkat’s interview removes any realistic hope that the Pixel 11 leaks were wrong on pricing. Early retail information points to the base Pixel 11 starting around USD 899 (approx. RM4,140), a USD 100 (approx. RM460) jump over the Pixel 10’s USD 799 (approx. RM3,675) starting price. At the same time, retail prices for the standard Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro are expected to climb by USD 100 (approx. RM460), even as the Pixel 11 Pro reportedly drops from 16 GB to 12 GB of RAM. Charging more while trimming memory is the clearest sign yet of how sideways the RAM market has gone.
Crucially, this is not only about new flagships. Barkat has warned that “in-market Pixel phones” will also be affected, specifically hinting that the Pixel 10a’s USD 499 (approx. RM2,295) base price may not last much longer. In other words, the budget-friendly Pixel you were waiting to grab on sale could instead become more expensive halfway through its life. That flips the usual script of smartphones getting cheaper over time and turns the Pixel lineup into moving pricing targets for the rest of the year.
The August 12 Pixel 11 launch date is now a deadline
The Pixel 11 launch date is not just a calendar note; it is a countdown for anyone considering a Pixel in the near future. Google has confirmed that its next Made by Google event will take place on August 12 in New York, with its online store already teasing “The next generation. Google Pixel 11. August 12.” The Pixel 11 series is expected to be unveiled there, and Google plans to share final pricing details during this hardware announcement.
Here is the uncomfortable part: rising supplier costs will force price adjustments for both current and upcoming Pixel devices ahead of that reveal. That means smartphone price hikes are not a distant threat; they could hit the Pixel 10a and other in‑market devices at any time before launch. If you were hoping to wait for August, compare specs, then buy the older phone at a discount, that strategy is now risky. The event functions less as a simple unveiling and more as a line in the sand for your buying decision.
Should you buy a Pixel 10 now or wait for Pixel 11?
The key financial question is whether to buy a current Pixel 10-series device now or wait for the Pixel 11 at a higher launch price. Barkat’s own comments hint that waiting for prices to fall could backfire: “in-market Pixel phones” will “eventually see an impact,” and the Pixel 10a’s USD 499 (approx. RM2,295) base price already looks fragile. Another source goes further, warning that if you plan to buy a current-generation phone, you should do it immediately before costs rise.
On the other hand, leaks suggest Pixel 11 buyers might get more storage (potentially 256 GB as a new base) to soften the blow of a USD 100 (approx. RM460) increase. If you care about long-term use, that extra storage and newer hardware may justify paying more upfront. Google will also keep using trade-ins, promos, and bundles to ease the hit, but those are temporary bandages, not structural fixes. The honest answer: if you were already eyeing a Pixel 10 at its current price, the smarter move is to buy sooner rather than gamble on post-launch discounts that may never come.
Smartphone price hikes are here; how should buyers respond?
Google’s situation makes one thing clear: RAM shortage phones are no longer edge cases but the new normal for high-end hardware. The company is preparing to raise prices across its hardware lineup due to a global memory shortage, and it has admitted this “is going to hurt your wallet.” The pricing pressure will also hit other products like the Pixel Watch, showing how deeply this memory cost spike cuts through the ecosystem.
Google is trying to fight back on the software side by making Android more memory-efficient, hoping to reduce how much RAM future devices need. That is a smart long-term move, but it will not fix the Pixel 11’s launch prices. For buyers, the response should be pragmatic, not hopeful. Decide how much you want to spend before August 12, compare the current Pixel 10 deals against the expected Pixel 11 price increase, and act before “dynamic” pricing turns waiting into a luxury tax. The RAM market changed fast; your upgrade plan needs to change with it.
