On paper, the upcoming Pixel 11 series looks like more of the same. For the modern smartphone enthusiast, “more of the same” usually elicits an immediate glance. Are we setting ourselves up for disappointment by expecting the Pixel 11 to be something it was never meant to be?
The easy answer is yes.
I think perhaps we are all – rightly or wrongly – stuck in a cycle that demands massive, radical changes every 12 months, even though mobile hardware has largely stagnated. Let’s make no bones about it, I’m always excited about new hardware. Furthermore, Google is now becoming more proficient at it.
Without giving Google a free pass, the answer is not so simple with a Pixel phone. Things have never been as obvious as they seem, and we’re reaching a stage where fans and detractors are probably expecting more than possible; I have fallen into this trap several times before.
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The same, the same and the same again
It’s certainly no secret that Google will stick with a proven design for the Pixel 11 line. Same size, same shape, basically the same frame with potentially some minor tweaks. For anyone who wanted a major shakeup, they’ll have to wait until next year.
For many reasons, to me this is probably a good thing. Let’s be honest, IIt didn’t take until the Pixel 9 series for Google to create a truly competent phone in most key areas.. There are no major drawbacks to the design. Yes, it’s a slight derivative of older iPhones, but the camera bar is what helps set the Pixel apart.
I’m a little surprised that, unlike previous years, we haven’t seen a big Pixel 11 hardware leak, at least not yet. Sometimes you see devices being tested in the wild, or even if we see an advertisement, someone walks by.
That hasn’t happened this year. Maybe that’s a blessing in disguise because we’re not making as many quick judgments based on pre-release hardware. On the contrary, expectations are always high, which can set people up for disappointment.
Sure, we know pretty much all the specs on paper, but that only tells one side of the story.
Here’s what you can expect from the Pixel 11 lineup. We get a 6.3-inch base model. the 6.3-inch Pro, the 6.8-inch Pro XL and a Pro Fold. Nothing out of the ordinary and it works.
There will be some minor changes to the specifications; Minimum battery capacities are changing slightly. It would be fair to assume that the actual capabilities will remain the same as the 10 series. The displays get higher maximum brightnesses of 2200 nits on the Pixel 11, 2450 nits on the Pros.
One of the possible victims of the RAM and storage crisis could be the base model. Spec leaks for the Pixel 11 suggest it could ship with an 8GB variant, while the Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL could go from 16GB of RAM to 12GB. If 3 or 4 GB of memory is required for certain AI and ML tasks on the device, how will this affect the Pixel 11?
Could we see more cloud-based Gemini features to help alleviate this potential banana skin? There are so many questions we have that these proposed specifications raise. I’m worried that this means some features will be blocked or limited in the next generation.
Removing Tensor
More bad news for spec experts: the Pixel 11’s chipset probably won’t be as powerful as even last year’s best mobile processors. at least at first glance.
The leaks point to an unusual, asymmetrical 7-core architecture (a 1+4+2 configuration) that uses ARM’s C1-Ultra and C1-Pro cores. While switching to TSMC’s highly efficient 2nm process is a big win for battery longevity and thermal management, early indications show that the PowerVR-based GPU architecture will still be several generations behind the competition in raw gaming.
I guess a reality check is that even Google admits that Tensor was never designed to break benchmark records. Expecting Google to suddenly pivot to building a beastly mobile processor to rival Qualcomm is pure copium.
The processor situation has been a big problem for Pixel fans for years and a problem for fans who often cite weak internal components as a reason to avoid Google smartphones. All problems affecting the Tensor line must be resolved first. Keep everything on an equal footing before attempting to run with the ball.
If we inhale a little more copium for a few seconds, I don’t think raw power has ever felt like a key component in a Pixel phone. That’s not a defense of Google by any means, but rather an understanding that we may never get a Tensor chip that takes down Qualcomm.
A new phone with a new…trick?
It’s hard to figure out what Pixel Glow will be, but will it be more than just an improved flash for the camera? I’m intrigued to see what this will be.
First we confirmed that it was something and it comes with the Pixel 11 series a few months ago. Later leaks suggested it could be an LED strip rather than a glowing area around the camera island. We’ve seen Nothing do with the rear panel LEDs, and that’s received a pretty mixed response.
As long as there is utility, it will probably be useful. More useful than the temperature sensor? I’m on the fence because the temperature sensor seems like a time capsule for phone development during a global pandemic.
Is Pixel Glow enough to sell a phone? I highly doubt it.
Consistent camera, but not much else.
I’ll be honest: I’ve had complaints with the Pixel camera system in recent years. But for consistency across the board, it’s hard to fault a Pixel phone. Which will be a key selling point on the Pixel 11.
The good news is that the base Pixel 11 is rumored to bring back a proper 50MP main sensor. This addresses a big frustration from the previous generation, where the base model looked like a glorified A-series setup with an afterthought telephoto lens. Bringing back the 50MP sensor is a welcome solution, but it’s a return to form, not a leap forward.
If we’re not going to make a lot of adjustments to the camera hardware, can Google maximize the capabilities of the system we’ll see? It’s about time we had some kind of LOG video; Local video processing should also be a priority.
Heck, steal Apple’s photo appearance feature while we’re at it. I want to do more things in-camera instead of using third party tools. Tone down the HDR processing, give us the controls. I would be in charge of making wholesale changes.
I don’t expect anything groundbreaking in the camera experience, but I live in hope. Google sells Pixel cameras based on photo consistency more than anything else. Keep it up and I think ordinary people will be happy. Us camera nerds will still have plenty of details.
The price will be the definitive test of reality.
The specter of price looms over the Pixel 11 line.
Which means the ultimate test for the Pixel 11 won’t be its hardware; will be its price. Three years of Iterative hardware changes haven’t hurt Samsung deeply. because they have established dominance in the market. Google doesn’t have that luxury.
If Google tries to raise prices while offering a smaller RAM footprint and a lower-powered GPU, with barely any hardware changes, then fans won’t be as forgiving as they were last year, when the Pixel 10 felt like an iterative update to the Pixel 9.
Yes, and this is a big “if”, the Pixel 11 is simply a spec bump over the Pixel 10 without any unique selling point, it lives and dies by price. If anything, it increases the pressure on the Pixel 12. If the Pixel 11 continues to be more of the same, there will be nowhere to hide next year. Just don’t expect a major change this time and you probably won’t be too disappointed.
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