Google has had a big day of launches — not only did we get our first official look at the Pixel 11 series, which have leaked extensively over the past few weeks, we also got a new Pixel Watch, and even an AirTag rival.
Those leaks and rumors meant we already had a good idea of what to expect, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t any surprises.
This year’s Made by Google 2026 event takes place later today, at 3pm PT / 6pm ET / 11pm BST on August 12 ( that’s 8am AEST on August 13) — here’s how to watch it. But we’ve already had some hands-on time with the new devices, and below we’ve picked out the seven biggest things we learned about the Pixel 11 series, Pixel Watch 5 and Pixel Tag…
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1. The Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL should be the best models yet — and even have lights on the back
Google’s non-foldable flagships for 2026 are the Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL, and they have numerous upgrades over their predecessors. But the most interesting element is arguably ‘HiLight’.
This is an array of LED lights built into the camera’s flash module, which can alert you to calls from favorite contacts via customized color glows when your phone is face down and silenced. And these lights will also pulse when Gemini is listening, thinking, or responding.
Beyond that, the Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL also boast some camera and chipset improvements that we’ve detailed below, plus brighter screens that can reach 3,600 nits.
Not everything has been upgraded though — in fact these phones have a starting RAM capacity of 12GB, while their predecessors came with 16GB as standard. You can still get 16GB here, but you’ll have to pay for the privilege.
Read more: I tried the new Pixel 11 range, and Google’s made loads of improvements, with a surprising ‘HiLight’
Check out the best Google Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro preorder deals
2. The cameras have received numerous upgrades, including a new Magic Capture mode
At first glance the cameras on this year’s Pixels might look much the same as their predecessors, given that the megapixel counts haven’t changed. But look closer and there are plenty of upgrades.
For example, the Pixel 11’s 48MP main camera now has a larger sensor for 56% more light sensitivity. The Pro models also gain some new sensors, plus a 120x digital zoom — up from 100x on the Pixel 10 Pro series.
And there are new modes, like Magic Capture, which with a single tap will capture both a video and multiple images of a scene — complete with automatic cropping and unblurring.
There’s also a new Camera Looks feature, which allows you to create a set of personalized film styles and photo aesthetics.
3. The new Tensor G6 chipset is faster and more efficient
It’s no surprise that the Pixel 11 series sports a new chipset, but the Tensor G6 sounds like quite an upgrade in some areas, with up to 20% better power efficiency, 25% faster browsing, and 15% faster app loading, as well as boosting image processing and Gemini performance.
So these phones should be noticeably faster and more fluid than their predecessors, across a range of tasks.
4. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold is brighter and thinner than its predecessor
Google’s priciest new phone is the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, and this of course benefits from the Tensor G6 chipset and some of the camera upgrades detailed above, along with the new HiLight feature.
But it also has a peak brightness on its foldable screen of 3,600 nits — up from 3,000 nits on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, and it’s slimmer and lighter too, coming in at 10.1mm thick when folded, 5.0mm thick when unfolded, and 239g.
For comparison, the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold is 10.8mm thick when folded, 5.2mm thick when unfolded, and 258g.
These are the best Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold preorder deals
5. The Pixel 11 got a storage boost
The Pixel 11 also has a Tensor G6 chipset, plus the camera upgrades highlighted further up, and on top of that it’s received a storage boost, now starting at 256GB rather than the 128GB of its predecessor.
That said, the starting price has actually increased too, so you’re paying the same as you would have for a 256GB model last year, there’s just now no option of a cheaper 128GB version.
Many of the specs — camera and chipset aside — are also very similar to the Google Pixel 10’s, and you don’t get Google’s new HiLight feature with the Pixel 11, so it will be interesting to see whether this tempts many buyers.
6. The Pixel Watch 5 is Google’s most advanced health and fitness wearable yet
This event wasn’t just about phones — we also saw the Pixel Watch 5, and this is very much focused on health and fitness upgrades.
On the health side, that includes being able to track blood pressure patterns before they can put strain on your heart, and track insulin resistance over time. For fitness, Google claims this offers its most accurate GPS yet, and it also sports a new Key Metrics view, which helps you analyze your performance after a workout.
And when you’re sleeping, the Google Pixel Watch 5 has a Sleep Breathing Quality feature that analyzes minute-by-minute variations in your blood oxygen levels. And of course all the core Pixel Watch 4 features have made a return too.
Read more: I test smartwatches for a living, and the Google Pixel Watch 5 beats Apple and Samsung in 5 key ways
7. The Pixel Tag has landed as an AirTag rival
Google has also launched its first tracker, called simply the Pixel Tag. There’s not too much to say about this yet — if you’ve used an AirTag, Samsung Galaxy Smart Tag, or anything along those lines you know basically what to expect.
But it comes in a ‘Fog’ shade, has a built-in speaker, includes ultra-wideband for precision finding, has an IP67 rating (so it’s moderately water resistant), and is powered by a replaceable coin cell battery that should last over a year. It’s also light, at just 11.8g.
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