With the Pixel 11 and the Google Watch 5, Google is focusing on hardware optimization, new features, and detailed improvements.
Google has unveiled the new generation of its Pixel smartphones and smartwatches. The Google Pixel 11 is available in four model variants: Standard, Pro, Pro XL, and Pro Fold. The Watch 5 comes in two sizes, each with or without 4G support. It remains compatible only with Android.
My colleague Michelle has already had her hands on the devices and taken a first look. She describes her impressions and many new features in her news article.
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Colorful, smart, and with new hardware gimmickry: This is the Pixel 11 series
Michelle Brändle
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All devices will be available from August 20.
Google Pixel 11 Series
The Google Pixel 11 is more of an evolution than a revolution. Google's high-end smartphones are powered by the new Google Tensor G6 processor. This is designed to launch apps faster, use energy more efficiently, and offer more AI performance.
Google has not only optimized the camera's features but also changed the design. The camera bar is now flatter, and with the right cases, the smartphones lie flat on the table without wobbling. This year, for the first time, the new smartphone generation is available without a 128-gigabyte storage variant: all models have at least 256 gigabytes on board.
There is an introductory discount for the smartphones until September 6.
Google Pixel 11
The entry-level variant with a 6.3-inch OLED display is equipped with twelve gigabytes (GB) of RAM. The screen has a resolution of 1080 × 2424 pixels and offers a peak brightness of up to 3000 nits.
For the first time, the smallest model also includes a telephoto lens with 10.8 megapixels (MP). Additionally, you have a 48 MP wide-angle lens and a 13 MP ultra-wide-angle lens. The front camera takes photos at 10.5 MP. You can record 4K and 1080p videos at up to 60 fps.
The 4840 mAh battery is said to last up to 30 hours and can be charged via USB-C cable at 30 watts or wirelessly via Qi2 at up to 25 watts.
The Google Pixel 11 is available with 256 and 512 GB of storage and in four colors: Frost, Obsidian, Pistachio, and Hibiscus.
Matching cases for the Google Pixel 11 can be found here.
Google Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL
The Pro variant is available with a 6.3-inch display, and the Pro XL with a 6.8-inch display. The smaller device is equipped with a 4707 mAh battery, while the Pro XL comes with a 5000 mAh battery capacity. Otherwise, the two devices hardly differ.
The Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL are available in the same four colors. The top model offers 1000 GB of storage and 16 GB of RAM. It is exclusively available in Obsidian. The other three models have twelve GB of RAM and are available with either 256 or 512 GB of storage. They come in Canyon, Fog, and Olive.
Matching cases for the Google Pixel 11 Pro can be found here.
The OLED display of both models uses LTPO (Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Oxide) technology. The advantage: the smartphone can dynamically adjust the refresh rate to the displayed screen content, such as 1 Hertz for the Always-on Display or 10–30 Hertz when reading texts. This extends battery life.
The professional triple rear camera system, as Google calls it, features a 50 MP wide-angle camera, a 48 MP ultra-wide-angle camera with macro focus, and a 48 MP camera with a 5x telephoto lens. Google promises up to 120x digital zoom. You can record 8K videos at up to 30 fps. The selfie camera takes photos at 42 MP. An LED light on the back informs you about notifications.
Matching cases for the Google Pixel 11 Pro XL can be found here.
Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold
The foldable smartphone Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold has a 6.4-inch outer display with 1080 × 2364 pixel resolution. It can be unfolded sideways, allowing you to use the almost square inner display with an eight-inch screen diagonal (2076 × 2152 pixels). Both are OLED screens, but without LTPO technology.
The 4919 mAh battery is said to provide up to 24 hours of runtime, Google promises. The device can be charged wirelessly at up to 15 watts, and with a cable, 30 watts are possible.
This model is only available in Obsidian and Olive, with Obsidian offering a 1000 GB storage variant, similar to the Pixel 11 Pro. All versions use 16 GB of RAM.
Matching cases for the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold can be found here.
Google Pixel Watch 5
With the Pixel Watch 5, Google is primarily focusing on new health and AI features. The core of the new smartwatch version is "Health Guardian": This feature is designed to help you monitor changes in your blood pressure and insulin resistance. The Guardian will then alert you to potential risks. However, it does not replace a medical diagnosis.
Also new is a respiratory distress detection system that can automatically call for help in case of critical oxygen drops. Sleep analysis has also been improved: it is now supposed to detect and evaluate sleep phases more accurately. The watch also uses this for waking: instead of at a fixed time, Smart Wake wakes you within a time window at the most favorable point in your sleep cycle. This is intended to make you feel more rested and less abruptly awakened.
Furthermore, the watch gets a faster processor with the Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 Accelerated, more storage (64 GB instead of 32 GB), and more precise dual-frequency GPS.
Google Pixel Watch 5 in 41 Millimeter Size The variant with a smaller diameter is available in four colors, each with or without 4G mobile connectivity.
Feels just as comfortable in front of a gaming PC as she does in a hammock in the garden. Likes the Roman Empire, container ships and science fiction books. Focuses mostly on unearthing news stories about IT and smart products.
