Google's next flagship phone is set to get more expensive. According to The Verge, Google's Vice President of Devices and Services, Shakil Barkat, all but confirmed in an interview with 9to5 Google that the upcoming Pixel 11 would cost more than the Pixel 10.
The reason, according to reporting on the announcement, comes down to rising costs. An MSN report says the price adjustment is tied to soaring smartphone hardware costs globally, noting that component prices have significantly risen and are impacting the broader tech industry.
The Verge points to a specific pressure point: ongoing RAM supply issues driven by the explosion of AI data centers. In other words, the same memory chips that phones rely on are in heavy demand from companies building out artificial intelligence infrastructure, and that competition helps push prices up. Because of those dynamics, The Verge notes the rumored price hike is not a complete surprise.
Google is also trying to soften the message. According to the MSN report, the company revealed what it described as "dedicated efforts" to keep its phones accessible and efficient, even as prices climb.
Why it matters: rising component costs — especially for memory squeezed by the AI boom — are starting to show up directly on the price tags of everyday consumer devices, meaning shoppers may pay more for their next phone because of forces far beyond the handset itself.