Finally, some good Pixel 11 news after weeks of disappointing leaks
Google is letting you buy the Pixel 11 phones before it even showcases them at its Made by Google event.
Pixel 11 Pro in Pine color. | Image by MyMobiles
Google has already made it clear that its upcoming Pixel lineup will be unveiled at its Made by Google event, which is scheduled for August 12th at 6:00 p.m. ET (Eastern Time). It's a general practice by manufacturers to make the new phones available for pre-orders after the event ends, but it turns out the company is going with a different strategy this year by making the devices available for booking hours before the launch event.
As we are just a week away from the launch date, the countdown clock of the Pixel 11 series has appeared on the Google Store and Best Buy, displaying the time after which you'll be able to pre-order the smartphones. At the time of writing, it says 8 days left until the launch date; there is nothing unusual about that. However, you'll notice something unexpected in the hour meter.
As mentioned above, the event will take place at 6:00 p.m. ET, but if you do the calculation, you will realize that the countdown timer will end at 10:00 a.m. ET. This means that the new Pixel products would become available for pre-order 8 hours before the Made by Google event.
Interestingly, this isn't the first time the Mountain View giant is making its products available for reservation hours before it officially showcases them. It followed the same strategy last year as well with the Pixel 10 lineup; however, at that time platforms like the Google Store and Best Buy started accepting early orders just one hour before the event, unlike this year, where the difference is expected to be 8 hours.
Unlike Google, which has started making its products available for early orders hours before their release since last year, both Apple and Samsung follow an entirely different strategy. Samsung opens pre-orders of its smartphones immediately after or during its Galaxy event. For instance, its latest Z series phones became available for reservation immediately after they were unveiled globally.
The Pixel 11 launch timer getting pinned on some e-commerce websites isn't the only latest Pixel-related story. Google posted a new video teasing its upcoming foldable, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold. Unsurprisingly, the 15-second-long video doesn't reveal anything exclusive about the foldable, but we already know pretty much everything about its specifications and design.
It's expected to carry the same design as its predecessor, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. Reliable tipster Evan Blass has also shared renders of the upcoming foldable in the all-new Pine color. The phone is also expected to be available in the Midnight Haze finish.
Almost all the specifications of the entire Pixel 11 series have surfaced online, and honestly, none of them look very promising to me. The base Pixel 11 is expected to lose the telephoto lens, and the Pixel 11 Pro and the Pro XL variant are reported to feature smaller batteries than their respective predecessors. Tensor will continue to power the devices, which often struggle to compete against other flagship processors from Qualcomm and Apple.
Worst of all, all the devices are expected to cost more because of the RAMageddon. In the midst of all these disappointing leaks, the upcoming Google phones becoming available for pre-order many hours before their official release seems like a piece of news worth getting excited about.
Countdown clocks on different platforms
As we are just a week away from the launch date, the countdown clock of the Pixel 11 series has appeared on the Google Store and Best Buy, displaying the time after which you'll be able to pre-order the smartphones. At the time of writing, it says 8 days left until the launch date; there is nothing unusual about that. However, you'll notice something unexpected in the hour meter.
Which Pixel 11 model are you planning to pre-order?
Interestingly, this isn't the first time the Mountain View giant is making its products available for reservation hours before it officially showcases them. It followed the same strategy last year as well with the Pixel 10 lineup; however, at that time platforms like the Google Store and Best Buy started accepting early orders just one hour before the event, unlike this year, where the difference is expected to be 8 hours.
What approach do Apple and Samsung take
Unlike Google, which has started making its products available for early orders hours before their release since last year, both Apple and Samsung follow an entirely different strategy. Samsung opens pre-orders of its smartphones immediately after or during its Galaxy event. For instance, its latest Z series phones became available for reservation immediately after they were unveiled globally.
Apple follows a completely different path, and I, personally, don't like it. The tech giant allows users to secure their new products a few days after they have been showcased at the event. For instance, the iPhone 17 family was announced on September 9th, but its pre-order began on September 12.
Google teases Pixel 11 Pro Fold
The Pixel 11 launch timer getting pinned on some e-commerce websites isn't the only latest Pixel-related story. Google posted a new video teasing its upcoming foldable, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold. Unsurprisingly, the 15-second-long video doesn't reveal anything exclusive about the foldable, but we already know pretty much everything about its specifications and design.
It's expected to carry the same design as its predecessor, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. Reliable tipster Evan Blass has also shared renders of the upcoming foldable in the all-new Pine color. The phone is also expected to be available in the Midnight Haze finish.
The Pixel 11 lineup finally has something worth celebrating
Almost all the specifications of the entire Pixel 11 series have surfaced online, and honestly, none of them look very promising to me. The base Pixel 11 is expected to lose the telephoto lens, and the Pixel 11 Pro and the Pro XL variant are reported to feature smaller batteries than their respective predecessors. Tensor will continue to power the devices, which often struggle to compete against other flagship processors from Qualcomm and Apple.
Worst of all, all the devices are expected to cost more because of the RAMageddon. In the midst of all these disappointing leaks, the upcoming Google phones becoming available for pre-order many hours before their official release seems like a piece of news worth getting excited about.
Here are a few more Pixel 11-related stories you won't want to miss:
- I'm afraid the Pixel 11 could be the most disappointing flagship of 2026
- Every Pixel 11 model just leaked in stunning new colors and from every angle
- Want to remain up to date with everything that's happening in the smartphone industry? Give me a follow on X and Threads.
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