This is the leaked Google Pixel 11 design

Over the past two generations, we’ve watched Google carve out a surprisingly resilient slice of the smartphone market, finding growth in a landscape that has otherwise felt largely stagnant. Today, we’re getting our very first look at this year’s upcoming Pixel 11. But if you were expecting a massive, ground-up redesign to celebrate the Pixel line’s tenth anniversary, you might want to temper your expectations.

Thanks to a fresh batch of CAD renders courtesy of OnLeaks and Android Headlines, it’s abundantly clear that Google is giving us a third iteration of its current, established design language.

Here is everything the new leak tells us about what Google has cooking for late summer 2026.

A minor evolution in dimensions and design

Looking at the base Pixel 11 model in these renders, the device appears practically unchanged from its predecessors. Google is bringing the phone in at 152.8 x 72 x 8.5mm.

If those numbers look familiar to you, they should. It is identical to last year’s Pixel 10 in every measurement, save for a 0.1mm reduction in thickness. Before we celebrate Google finally trimming down its hardware, it’s worth remembering that the Pixel 10 actually gained 0.1mm to accommodate the addition of Pixelsnap magnets. This means the Pixel 11 is effectively returning to the exact footprint of 2024’s Pixel 9, but crucially, it keeps the Qi2 support in tow.

The report also alleges that Google is slimming down the bezels surrounding the 6.3-inch LTPO AMOLED display. I’ll be honest: considering both the physical footprint and the screen size remain entirely unchanged, I am highly skeptical about how noticeable this bezel reduction will actually be once the phone is in our hands. CAD renders notoriously struggle to capture the granular reality of display borders.

What does catch my eye is the tweaked camera bar. The renders show an all-black visor that completely drops the camera bar cover. This is an interesting pivot. Google originally added that cover to mitigate the notorious lens flare issues that plagued the Pixel 6. Whether stripping it away will invite those old ghosting problems back into the fold is something many will be testing extensively once they get their hands on the unit.

Pixel 11 gets a massive modem shift

While the exterior plays it safe, the internals are where things get genuinely exciting. Based on the leaks, here is what we expect to power the Pixel 11:

• Processor: The Tensor G6. This is rumored to utilize TSMC’s highly efficient 2nm process with a new 7-core architecture, backed by a Titan M3 security coprocessor.
• Modem: A highly anticipated pivot away from Samsung. Word on the street is that Google is tapping MediaTek for its M90 modem, which should drastically improve connectivity and standby battery life—two historic sore spots for the Pixel line.
• Memory: Google appears to be sticking to its guns with 12GB of RAM, effectively eating the cost of rising memory prices to maintain AI performance.

Where I am distinctly less thrilled is the storage situation. Rumors point to Google maintaining a base storage configuration of just 128GB. With Apple pushing the base iPhone 17 to 256GB at the same price tier, and Samsung doing the same for the Galaxy S26 series (albeit with a $100 price hike), shipping a premium smartphone in late 2026 with 128GB feels out of touch.

Expected Pixel 11 specs at a glance

The fact that the Pixel 11 looks almost indistinguishable from the Pixel 10 and the Pixel 9 before it is simultaneously surprising and entirely expected.

Following the Pixel 10’s launch last year, Google’s Chief Design Officer Ivy Ross plainly stated that the company plans to refresh its design language every two to three years. The Pixel 11 sits squarely at the end of that cycle. Google has found its visual identity, and they are sticking to it.

Yet, I can’t help but feel a twinge of disappointment. The original Pixel launched in October 2016. This year marks a decade of Google’s flagship hardware. When Apple hit its ten-year milestone, it completely upended the industry with the iPhone X. In comparison, seeing Google play it this safe during an anniversary year feels a bit like a missed opportunity to flex its creative muscles.

Pixel 11 release date and pricing

Google has established a comfortable rhythm of late-summer launches to front-run Apple’s September events. Expect the Pixel 11 to break cover in August 2026, perfectly timed with the earlier summer release cycle of Android 17.

Pricing remains the ultimate wild card. While Google would undoubtedly love to hold steady at the $799 mark to undercut Samsung and Apple, current market conditions are brutal. Fluctuating costs in RAM, flash storage, and advanced TSMC CPU components mean Google likely won’t finalize the MSRP until the ink is dry on the keynote presentation.

We stand out from the tech-media crowd because we break news stories; we mainly bring you stuff that you won’t find anywhere in the mainstream tech media. Our stories have been picked up by some of the world’s most popular websites and media outlets—more info is available here.