Google expands Pixel hardware and Gemini tools at Made by Google 2026

Google used its Made by Google 2026 event to introduce the Pixel 11 smartphone family, Pixel Watch 5, Pixel Tag tracker and new Gemini-powered features. The standard Pixel 11 starts at $899 with 256GB of storage, while Pixel Tag costs $29 individually or $99 in a four-pack.

The announcements extend Google’s hardware portfolio across phones, wearables, audio accessories and item tracking. They also put Gemini functions more deeply into everyday device interactions, including accessibility, voice input, visual search and locating tagged belongings.

Pixel 11 pricing, design and durability changes

The standard Pixel 11 has a redesigned camera bar that Google says is more than 40% thinner than the prior generation. Its all-glass surface spans the phone’s width. The model begins at 256GB, double the previous starting capacity, because Google has removed the 128GB option. It is available in Frost, Hibiscus, Pistachio and Obsidian.

Google set the Pixel 11 starting price at $899, up $100 from the Pixel 10. The company linked the increase to the storage configuration change and the ongoing shortage of RAM supplies.

The Pixel 11 Pro starts at $1,099, compared with $999 for the Pixel 10 Pro. Google says the Pro and Pro XL add improved drop resistance and an anti-scratch display coating offering more than twice the scratch resistance of Pixel 10 Pro models. Colour choices are Canyon, Fog, Olive and Obsidian, with a matte finish for this year’s Obsidian version.

For the foldable model, Google says Pixel 11 Pro Fold is nearly 10% lighter and almost 1mm thinner than Pixel 10 Pro Fold. It adds slimmer bezels, a 48-megapixel main camera and 30x Super Zoom. A glass-fiber composite rear cover and redesigned hinge are intended to protect the device and its inner display. Google says the resulting design is three times more durable than its predecessor while retaining IP68 water and dust resistance.

Gemini reaches accessibility, speech and camera workflows

Google is expanding Live Transcribe to support American Sign Language through the Pixel Camera, translating sign language into text. The company also introduced Rambler, a voice-input feature built to interpret run-on speech, filler words and less structured phrasing.

Circle to Search can now be opened more directly from the Pixel Camera. Users can identify objects, search distant items, translate text and ask questions about their surroundings without leaving the camera experience. The broader Pixel 11 strategy builds on Pixel 11 Gemini agent features through Gemini functions that are embedded in device-level workflows rather than presented as a separate destination.

Pixel Tag and health updates for Pixel Watch 5

Pixel Tag is Google’s new item tracker for keys, wallets and luggage. It uses Android’s Find Hub network and can be viewed in the Find Hub app. Owners can also locate a tag from a Pixel Watch, while Pixel Buds users can ask Gemini to find or ring it.

The Pixel Watch 5 adds monthly summaries of blood-pressure and insulin-resistance trends in the Google Health app. The 41mm watch starts at $399 and the 45mm version at $429. Google also announced a $579 Stephen Curry edition designed for workouts, while Pixel Buds Pro gains an Olive colour option.

For businesses assessing employee devices, the launch makes accessibility capabilities, tracker controls, health-data handling and higher handset prices practical factors to review before approving or standardising the new Pixel hardware.