Google Pixel 11 bets on Gemini agents, not hardware

Google's Pixel 11 series, announced today, keeps last year's design largely intact but packs in substantially more Gemini AI features. The headline addition: agentic AI that can order groceries, book rides, call restaurants for reservations, and complete other tasks while you do something else. U.S. users get these capabilities first, with Google promising users can stop or take over any task mid-stream and review transcripts of AI-operated calls.

Gemini becomes the phone's operator

The Pixel 11's Gemini integration goes beyond voice commands. Google's assistant can now interact with third-party apps to complete multi-step tasks. Over the coming weeks, apps including Granola, Otter.ai, Wix, Fever, Get Your Guide, OpenTable (U.K.), Ticketmaster, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Angi, Thumbtack, and Zocdoc will plug into Gemini's task-completion layer.

Google also evolved last year's "Magic Cue" feature. It now pulls contextual information from across installed apps to surface suggestions, like a dinner spot or nearby show, proactively rather than waiting for a query.

Rambler, the dictation product Google previewed in May as a competitor to Wispr Flow and Aqua, now ships on Pixel 11 devices. The phone also gains live translation for videos, podcasts, and voice messages into a target language, plus a sign-language-to-text accessibility feature powered by Gemini.

Camera tricks: Magic Capture and 120x zoom

A new feature called "Magic Capture" records hundreds of frames between a start and end tap, then picks the best ones automatically. Google's software auto-crops and unblurs those frames so you get shareable photos as a byproduct of video.

Zoom gets a bump. The Pixel 11 Pro XL jumps from 100x to 120x super zoom. The base Pixel 11 moves from 20x to 30x. Pro models also gain "Instant Night Sight," which Google says captures low-light images 4.5 times faster than the Pixel 10 Pro's Night Sight.

Video shooters get 8K recording with Google's video boost processing and improved stabilization. A "creator suite" mode turns the phone into a teleprompter while recording, then saves clips to a dedicated folder for easier editing.

Tensor G6: efficiency over raw speed

All Pixel 11 phones run Google's Tensor G6 chip. Google claims 20% better power efficiency and 25% faster browsing compared to the previous generation. The new image signal processor enables that 120x zoom on the Pro XL. Google says its latest on-device models run with lower latency but declined to share specific numbers.

Pro models get a brighter display and an updated main camera sensor that Google says captures higher-quality photos than Pixel 10 Pro. The telephoto sensor allows 32% more light intake. Display sizes remain unchanged from last year.

One visible hardware addition: an LED light built around the flashlight on the back. It lights up for calls or messages from favorite contacts and pulses when Gemini is processing a request.

Pricing and availability

Preorders open today. All models start at 256GB base storage. The Pixel 11 starts at $899. The Pixel 11 Pro starts at $1,099. The source text cut off before listing the Pro XL price, but expect it to land between $1,199 and $1,299 based on the $100-$200 increments Google typically uses.

Source: TechCrunch / Ivan Mehta