The ongoing global memory chip crunch is beginning to affect more consumer technology companies, with Google becoming the latest to feel its impact. Ahead of its Made by Google event on August 12, the company confirmed that the Pixel 11 lineup will launch at higher prices, citing a sharp rise in global memory costs. Google also said it is working to improve Android's memory efficiency to help offset increasing hardware costs.
In an interview with 9to5Google, Google's Vice President of Devices and Services, Shakil Barkat, said the company had absorbed supply chain cost increases for as long as possible but could no longer do so. "The economics have fundamentally shifted and we're not immune to that," Barkat said.
He added that memory prices have risen significantly, referring to Morgan Stanley data that shows the cost of 1GB of RAM increasing from $2.80 in 2025 to around $12 in 2026.
According to Barkat, the pricing changes will apply across Google's Pixel hardware portfolio, including the Pixel Watch. He said promotional offers, trade-in programmes and Google One bundles would continue to be available for customers.
The Pixel 11 is expected to start at $899, compared with $799 for the Pixel 10. Reports also suggest Google may discontinue the 128GB storage variant, making 256GB the base storage option.
The Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL are also expected to receive $100 price increases. Some reports indicate that certain Pro variants may ship with 12GB of RAM instead of 16GB, although Google has not confirmed the final specifications. The company is expected to announce the Pixel 11 lineup on August 12.
Google also said it is improving Android's memory efficiency through software optimisation, on-device AI models and Tensor chip enhancements to maintain performance while reducing memory usage.
Google is not the only smartphone maker adjusting prices amid rising component costs. Several manufacturers, including Samsung and REDMAGIC, have recently cited higher memory prices while announcing price increases for new devices.
Industry analysts have linked the rise in memory costs to strong demand from AI infrastructure and data centres, which compete for the same memory chips used in consumer electronics.
