There's a running joke in the tech community that Pixel users are nothing more than beta testers. For a long time, that felt like an exaggeration. Yes, Google goes overboard with ambitious new features that take a year or two to work properly, but software experimentation is Google's core brand. It's how Pixel carved out a space in the first place. However, the trick is getting stale and may not work for the Pixel 11.
Not growing fast enough
Pixel shipments jumped 25% year-on-year in 2025, riding momentum straight through the first half of the year. That's an impressive feat in a shrinking market.
Yet while Pixel is setting internal records, it's not growing fast enough. It hasn't even cracked the top five global smartphone manufacturers. And judging by Pixel 11 rumors, that milestone is a long way off.
What's holding the Pixel series back?
Pixel 11 will feature customizable notification lights. | Image by Google
Pixels are perpetually haunted by bugs. They aren't the fastest devices around, nor do they boast the most reliable modems. But they are uniquely Android with a clean interface and features that other brands struggle to clone. While they might not be the indisputable camera leaders anymore, plenty of buyers still prefer Google's image processing.
Despite being pretty good, the Pixel series appears to have stalled.
Jeff Moore, principal at Wave7 Research, attributes that to Google's failure to promote the device as aggressively as Apple or Samsung. Pixels remain invisible in the prepaid segment and carry minimal presence in retail channels.
That can't be the whole story
A great product usually finds an audience. While Google not pushing the Pixel enough is certainly not helping it reach its full potential, there's more to the story.
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Pixel smartphones are known for skimping on fundamentals. Between underpowered chips, finicky modems, and thermal throttling issues, specs haven't kept pace with Apple's iPhone or Samsung's Galaxy flagship smartphones. Despite those shortcomings, Google has been raising prices, making each generation a harder sell.
Will Google be doing right by Pixel 11 buyers?
Beta testers
The AI mania hit Pixel phones the hardest. And while AI features had a certain novelty initially, everyday buyers quickly lost interest. Samsung took note, scaling back AI as the main selling point of its new foldable phones.
Google, meanwhile, is doubling down on AI gimmicks at the expense of hardware reliability. This has led Pixel users to think that they are nothing more than beta testers for its software tools. The Pixel 11 will likely do nothing to change that.
The Pixel 11 might be the final straw for loyalists
This is what the Pixel 11 Conversation Capture feature may look like. | Image by Android Authority
The Pixel 11 price hike is guaranteed. Yet far from delivering hardware improvements to justify the hike, the new phones might actually take several steps backward. For starters, the Pixel 11 will lose the telephoto unit. All models will come with smaller batteries, and some variants may have less RAM than before.
The HiLight light show may turn out to be nothing more than a gimmick. Google is also hard at work on futuristic features that few people will use, and many will find problematic.
For instance, the company seems to be prepping a new Conversation Capture feature that will recommend actions based on your conversations. Not eerie at all.
I want my phone to be a phone
I don't need my phone eavesdropping to set reminders for something that it thinks is important. I have friends to remind me about dinner outings and managers to send calendar invites. If my phone could help me be on top of everything, great. But the basics come first.
Buyers care if a phone is laggy, buggy, and costs $1,000 for no clear reason. The Pixel 11 has missed the train, apparently, but maybe Google can try again next year with the Pixel 12.
Why is there skepticism surrounding the Pixel 11?
HiLight is the only new feature and it seems superfluous
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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.
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