Google Launches Pixel 11 Pro XL and Pixel Watch 5

Google expanded its hardware ecosystem on August 20, 2026, with the simultaneous release of the Pixel 11 Pro XL smartphone and the Pixel Watch 5. Both devices feature iterative hardware updates and higher price points, with the smartphone rising to $1,299 and the smartwatch to $400.

The Pixel 11 Pro XL introduces the 3nm Tensor G6 processor and a 6.8-inch Super Actua OLED display reaching 3,600 nits. New software features include Rambler, a Gemini-powered bilingual dictation tool, and HiLight, an ambient LED for notifications. While the phone shows gains in multi-core CPU performance, it faces criticism for a base RAM reduction to 12GB and trails the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra in raw graphics processing.

The Pixel Watch 5 features a Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 Accelerated processor, 3GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage. It runs Wear OS 7 and includes offline Gemini capabilities and cloud-based GPS correction. However, several Health Guardian features, including breathing emergency detection and insulin resistance trends, were unavailable at launch while awaiting Food and Drug Administration clearance. Reviewers noted the $50 price increase and the fact that many software updates will reach older models make it a difficult upgrade for Pixel Watch 4 owners.