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Hands-on: I tried the Pixel 11 and appreciate all of Google’s refinements, despite the higher cost of entry.

Despite the heatwaves, the back-to-school season is fast approaching. Thankfully, ExpressVPN's latest price drop gives you the security you need for longer — and for less — in time for the fall semester.

ExpressVPN's two-year plans now start at only $2.99/month (previously $3.49), equivalent to $83.72 in total. It also now comes with 4 months extra included, saving you $14 over the 28 months.

ExpressVPN ranks as the most secure VPN we've tested, perfect if you're looking to keep yourself safe while diving into research for your latest project.

With a more expensive plan, you can also access secure AI, identity defense tools, password management, and email spoofing capabilities.

ExpressVPN: from $2.99 per month + 4 months extra
ExpressVPN is simple enough to use for beginners but has all the tools experienced users need. What's more, it's the most secure VPN I've tested this year and, thanks to its recent updates, gives you much more than just a secure connection.

$2.99 per month isn't the lowest price it's ever been, but it makes it cheaper than many of the alternatives without sacrificing any performance. View Deal

The deal means ExpressVPN is currently cheaper than NordVPN and on par with ProtonVPN, both of which are normally cheaper.

That said, this isn't ExpressVPN's best-ever deal. In the past, its price has dropped as low as $2.49/month. However, there's no guarantee these deals will return. The current sale is available until September 9.

I've tested VPNs for years and think ExpressVPN is one of the best options for your studies. Here are a few features you should make sure to check out:

• ExpressKeys: Password management, password health checks, and secure notes storage. Perfect if you need to remember logins for research sites, internal systems, and more.
• ExpressMailGuard: Alias email domain creator. Ideal if you need to sign up for websites for research purposes and don't want to worry about the spam emails once you leave college.
• VPN protection: A secure, encrypted tunnel to the internet. Access servers in 113 countries, stay protected from malicious sites, and protect all your devices, no matter if its for working, gaming, or streaming.

Ahead of its official debut in today's Made By Google event, preorders for the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold are now open. The manufacturer is the latest to launch a new foldable following Samsung's Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra, so competition is seriously heating up in the space. I've rounded up all of the best preorder deals if Google's offering has tempted you to lock in an order before launch on August 20.

We've already spent a few hours with the device for our Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold hands-on, and while it may not be a revolutionary upgrade over the previous model, it does make some tweaks that improve upon the already solid foldable.

Most notably, the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold is thinner and lighter, with a larger 6.5-inch Super Actua display, slimmer bezels, the efficient Tensor G6 chip, and a new HiLight feature — a set of LEDs on the back that work as a Gemini interface and notification option for important callers. Expect the same impressive camera array and emphasis on AI features.

Priced at $1,899 / £1,799, it's $100 / £50 more expensive than the previous model, mostly due to increases in the cost of components rather than any significant hardware upgrades — outside of the G6 chip. That's why I'm here to help you find the best deal on the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold, as it's important to really make back that difference.

I'll keep an eye on all of the major retailers and networks right here for the rest of the week to bring you more of the best Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold preorder deals as and when they go live. If you think you're more interested in the traditional devices, we've gathered up all the best Google Pixel 11 preorder deals as well.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold - US preorders

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold: up to $1,000 off with a trade-in, plus a free Google Pixel Watch 5
Unsurprisingly, the official Google Store is offering one of the better preorder deals for the Pixel 11 Pro Fold. As well as a saving of up to $1,000 when you trade in, you can also get the brand-new Google Pixel Watch 5 for free with the handset, or $350 in store credit. Six months of Google AI Pro is also included.View Deal

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold: get a $250 trade-in bonus + a $350 Amazon gift card
If you trade in when buying the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold at Amazon, you'll get an extra $250 bonus. On top of that, the retailer is throwing in a free $350 Amazon gift card to spend on anything else across the store. Alternatively, you can choose to bundle the phone with the new Pixel Watch 5 for the same price.View Deal

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold: up to $1,000 off with a trade-in + get a $350 Best Buy gift card
There's a strong trade-in rebate of up to $1,000 available on the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold at Best Buy. You can also get a free $350 Best Buy gift card with your order, which is enough to cover most of the cost of the new Pixel Watch 5, score yourself some earbuds, or other accessories.View Deal

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold: from $52.77 a month
Verizon doesn't appear to have a specific deal listed for the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold just yet, so I'll be keeping an eye on this one to see if something is added soon.View Deal

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold: from $52.78 a month
T-Mobile is just as exciting as Verizon when it comes to a preorder deal on the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold. I can only see savings of up to $500 advertised with a trade-in. Much better deals can be found on the other devices, including the opportunity to get them for free with a new line.View Deal

AT&T: offer goes hereView Deal

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold - UK preorders

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold: up to £850 off with a trade-in and £80 off the Pixel Watch 5
The headline preorder deal on the Pixel 11 Pro Fold at the Google Store includes savings of up to £850 with a trade-in, plus a £80 discount on the new Pixel Watch 5. You can also score six months of Google AI Pro and three months of YouTube Premium for free if you're a new user.View Deal

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold: get a £400 trade-in bonus and £100 credit towards other Google products
If you have a device ready to hand over, you can find another strong unlocked deal at Amazon. The retailer is offering a trade-in bonus of £400 on the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, plus you get £100 in credit to put towards other Google products, such as watches, earbuds, and other accessories.View Deal

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold: save up to £1,525 with an eligible trade-in + a free Fitbit Air
The introductory preorder deal for the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold at O2 offers savings of up to £1,525 when you trade in an eligible device. What separates the network from others, though, is the fact that you can get a free Fitbit Air alongside the latest foldable until September 2.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold: save up to £1,248 with a trade-in and get Pixel Buds Pro 2 for £1
That huge figure of total potential savings on the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold at EE is made up of a trade-in discount of up to £528, a saving of £22 per month on the 128GB Essentials plan, and the opportunity to claim a pair of Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 for just £1. All of this is available when you sign up for a 48-month contract.View Deal

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold: save up to £1,948 with a trade-in
This savings figure on the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold at Vodafone is from a combination of the handset and plan when you trade in. You can also make use of the Vodafone Xchange service to swap to a new Google Pixel phone every year when you're on a 24-month plan with no early upgrade fee.View Deal

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold: from £44 per month + £24 upfront, with up to £300 off with a trade-in
Sky Mobile is offering savings of up to £937 when you preorder the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold. Prices for the handset start at £44 per month on a 48-month contract, plus a £24 upfront fee. SIM plans then start at £12 per month. You can also get a bonus saving of up to £300 when you trade in, and save £180 on the new Google Pixel Watch 5 if you bundle it with the new foldable.View Deal

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold: trade in and save up to £1,778
The total savings on the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold at Three come from a combination of discounts on the device, airtime plan, and trade-in rebate. Upfront costs start at £60, and £30.11 per month for unlimited calls, texts, and data. Lastly, three months of YouTube Premium and six months of Google AI Pro are included for free.View Deal

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold: from £66.99 a month
The best deals on the new Pixel 11 range at Tesco Mobile are available on the standard Pixel 11 and the Pixel 11 Pro XL, so the offers of the Fold are fairly quiet. The handset is available from £66.99 per month with 3GB of data, with three months of YouTube Premium and six months of Google AI Pro included for free.View Deal

• Google cut seven billion daily Android Chrome notifications using layered defenses
• Chrome now limits abusive sites, revokes permissions, and blocks high‑volume spam
• Android improvements simplify managing alerts and reduce scam and malware exposure

Google says it has cut the number of notifications Chrome users get on their Android devices by seven billion a day.

In a new report, the company outlined how it has built a multi-layered defense system to shield its users from unwanted notifications, protecting them from spam and malware, and helping their devices’ battery last longer.

Most importantly, Google says the achievement significantly improved the overall user experience on Android.

Notification bombardment

For the longest time, individual websites were allowed to send push notifications directly to their users’ phones, even when they were not actively browsing them.

When a user visits a certain website, they get prompted to “show notifications”, and if they tap “allow”, the website starts sending the alerts. Sometimes, users do it without fully realizing what they’re agreeing to.

Once granted, the notifications (sent through Chrome) get shown next to other alerts (such as the ones coming from WhatsApp, Gmail, or other apps).

Unlike other notifications - which usually alert users to unread messages, calendar events, or similar - these mostly promote new content, deals, or other updates. They can also alert users of breaking news, which is arguably the most useful type among the ones mentioned here.

Legitimate websites use the feature responsibly and generally don’t flood their users with unwanted pings. However, some sites abuse the privilege, bombarding users with unwanted advertising, misleading alerts, clickbait articles, and other formats, just to get them to open the page (where they’re often served ads). More worryingly, malicious or compromised websites can use notifications to push scam messages, fake virus warnings, phishing links or other potentially dangerous content.

Because these alerts are served through Chrome and resemble ordinary system notifications, users may not immediately realize the risk.

But because they are served through Chrome, Google can do something about it, and the company has now “pulled back the curtain” on the toolkit that made these improvements possible.

(Image credit: Shutterstock.com)Swiss cheese

Described as a “swiss cheese” model, Google says it created overlapping protections that cover the entire notification lifecycle. Chrome now automatically revokes notification permissions for sites users haven’t engaged with in a little while.

So, if a site keeps flooding the visitor with notifications that they’re not responding to, Chrome will eventually shut them off. Same goes for sites that have “repeatedly received suspicious notification warnings”. Google did not say how many is considered “repeatedly” and in what timeframe.

The second layer is analyzing signals such as service worker activity. By looking for coordinated behaviors, Google claims it can now pinpoint networks that serve malicious content, and block them.

On the Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) server side, the company introduced message rate limits that disallow high-volume notification abuse. Google now evaluates sites based on factors such as message volume relative to time spent on site, the frequency of permission prompts, and general engagement levels.

In other words, if a user spends 10 minutes on a website but then receives 50 notifications, it will raise quite a few red flags. Same goes for users that don’t really interact with the website a lot. “Disruptive domains” are now limited to 1,000 messages per minute and will receive HTTP 429 responses if they exceed this threshold, Google explained.

Finally, the company updated how notifications are handled on Android phones. Users can update their preferences directly from the notification bar, simplifying the process for users who can’t be bothered to dig deep into system settings.

“These integrated efforts effectively shield users from sophisticated scams that leverage notifications to distribute malware, harvest personal information, or solicit fraudulent payments,” Google said.

“Beyond security enhancements, this strategy has substantially decreased unnecessary background activity, reduced user device battery consumption, and transformed the notification lifecycle so users receive only the content they find truly valuable.”

Google Pixel fans, take note. Preorders for the latest Google Pixel 11 series are now live at the official Google Store and other retailers, with three (four, if you count the Fold) new devices now up for grabs.

As an overview, the new range starts with the standard Google Pixel 11 for $899 / £879. Then, you have the mid-range Pixel 11 Pro for $1,099 / £1,079, the up-sized Pixel 11 Pro XL for $1,299 / £1,279, and the high-end Pixel 11 Pro Fold for $1,899 / £1,799. Just down below, you can see where to preorder the three non-foldable devices in both the US and UK - for the Fold, check out our separate page here.

As expected, there are quite a few excellent preorder deals to entice potential upgraders. Over in the US, trade-in rebates are reaching up to $1,100 off, which is enough to cover the entire cost of the Pixel 11 Pro. Meanwhile, UK readers can get up to £970 off with a trade-in and new contract, which is one of the bigger discounts I've seen in recent months.

To read more about these devices, scroll down to see a short overview of the new range. Alternatively, head on over to our Pixel 11 hands-on or Pixel 11 Pro Fold hands-on pages to see our initial thoughts, plus

Google Pixel 11 preorders in the US

• AT&T: up to $1,100 off with a trade-in
• Google: up to $600 off with a trade-in
• Verizon: up to $1,100 off with a trade-in
• T-Mobile: Pixel 11 Pro XL included with switch

Google Pixel 11 series: get a device included with an eligible plan at T-Mobile
As expected, T-Mobile has a flexible array of deals for its opening promotion on the Pixel 11 series. Depending on the plan, it's entirely possible to get a device included with a new line or upgrade right now. According to the T&Cs, you can get a Pixel 11 included without a trade-in with a new line on the Essentials plan, which is a good option for those on a tighter budget. Alternatively, you can get up to $1,100 off with a trade-in and new line on the mid-tier Experience More plan, or up to $1,300 off with a trade-in on the Experience Beyond plan. That's enough to cover the cost of a Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL, respectively.View Deal

Google Pixel 11 series: up to $1,100 off with a trade-in, or plan and phone for $45/mo at Verizon
Verizon's opening Google Pixel 11 deals lean heavily on the carrier's new 'Simplicity Plus' plan, which lets you bundle a Pixel 11 Pro with an unlimited data plan for just $45/mo without a trade-in. Alternatively, you can trade in for an excellent discount of up to $1,100 with a new line on one of the carrier's older myPlan unlimited plans. On top of that, Verizon is also offering a new Google Pixel Watch 5 and Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE as bonus gifts if you take out a service line for these accessories.View Deal

Google Pixel 11 Pro: get a device for $0 with any trade-in and a new line at AT&T
My favorite opening Pixel 11 deal at AT&T has to be the carrier's preorder promo on the Pixel 11 Pro. Right now, you can trade-in any Google Pixel phone in any condition to be eligible for a discount of up to $1,100. That's essentially a Pixel 11 Pro for $0 - although, you will obviously still need a new unlimited data plan to be eligible for a discount. View Deal

Google Pixel 11 series: up to $600 off with a trade-in, or up to $1,339 back with a plan at Google
Google has a few decent options if you're looking for a new device today. First up, you can trade-in for a rebate of up to $600 - which isn't bad for unlocked devices. Alternatively, you could consider a new line on Google's Fi prepaid carrier, which will entitle you to a massive $1,339 rebate if you stick with a line for the duration of 24 months. As a side bonus, you can also get 250 off the new Google Pixel Watch 5 or $200 in Google Store credit with the Pixel 11 Pro or Pixel 11 Pro XL. View Deal

Google Pixel Watch 5: $300 off with a new line
While you're here, you could also consider T-Mobile's excellent opening promotion on the brand new Google Pixel Watch 5. Right now, the carrier is offering a healthy $300 discount when you pair up a cellular device with a new line on the Watch Plus plan. That's a discount that's big enough to get the Pixel Watch 5 for as little as $5.55/mo over the duration of 36 months.View Deal

Google Pixel 11 preorders in the UK

• EE: Pixel 11 Pro with plan for £38/mo
• Carphone Warehouse: get £300 extra with a trade-in
• Google: up to £850 off with an eligible trade-in
• Mobiles.co.uk: Pixel 11 Pro w/ 100GB plan for £29/mo
• Sky: up to £937 off with a trade and plan
• Three: save up to £1,634 with a trade and plan
• Vodafone: up to £1,574 off with a trade and plan

Google Pixel 11 series: up to £850 off with an eligible trade-in at Google UK
I'm pretty fond of Google's opening trade-in rebate on the Pixel 11 series as it's a strong offer for an unlocked device specifically. The maximum rebate is £850 right now, which is boosted massively by a £400 preorder bonus. Nothing fancy, but a good discount nonetheless if you're looking for a cheaper unlocked device right out of the gates. View Deal

Google Pixel 11 Pro XL: save up to £1,634 with a trade and plan at Three
The biggest discount I've seen so far in the UK for Pixel 11 preorders is this deal at Three on the Pixel 11 Pro XL. The carrier is currently offering a bonus trade-in rebate of up to £950, a £144 discount on your device, and a £540 discount on your plan itself. That combines to just over £1,634 in savings, but you'll have to pay £50 upfront and just over £30 per month over the duration of 36 months.View Deal

What's new with the Pixel 11?

The Pixel 11's new 'Hibiscus' color option (Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff)

• Tensor G6 chipset with 12GB of RAM
• Upgraded 48MP camera on the Pixel 11
• New 'HiLight' LED notifications on the Pro

Google’s Pixel 11 lineup is more of a refinement than a reinvention, polishing up a familiar formula rather than completely switching it up. All three models get the new Tensor G6 chip, built on a 2nm process, with a faster processor and more efficient AI-focused TPU designed to improve responsiveness and reduce battery drain during AI tasks. They also all start with 12GB of RAM. The standard Pixel 11 gets a larger 48MP main camera sensor, a 40% thinner camera bar, and new colours including the striking Hibiscus, while retaining its compact 6.3-inch size.

The Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL bring the more substantial upgrades, with brighter, higher-resolution displays, more premium finishes, improved camera hardware and a new main sensor aimed at better low-light photography. Their camera systems include 50MP main, 48MP ultrawide and 48MP telephoto cameras, with zoom extending to an ambitious 120x, assisted by AI processing. The Pro XL is essentially the same experience as the Pro but with a larger 6.8-inch display and bigger battery. The Pro models' standout new feature is HiLight, an LED array around the flash that can glow in different colours - for example, indicating when Gemini is listening or identifying calls from specific contacts even when the phone is face-down.

Overall, the Pixel 11 range seems to be about polishing Google's existing formula rather than changing it: better efficiency and AI performance, refined cameras and displays, slimmer hardware and more interesting colours. Of the three, the Pixel 11 Pro looks like the sweet spot, combining the best features in a relatively compact 6.3-inch phone. HiLight is arguably the most genuinely new idea, although its usefulness will depend on whether Google expands what it can do.

• A new 8-in-1 smart display dock is now on Kickstarter
• Cabletime's ScreenDock features a 5.5-inch screen which can be used as a secondary display
• The device could prove an interesting alternative to Corsair's Xeneon Edge thanks to its extra docking capabilities

Multi-tasking on a PC is made easier using Corsair's Xeneon Edge touchscreen LCD as a secondary display — but now this solution seemingly has some strong competition.

As reported by Notebookcheck, the Cabletime ScreenDock is a new 8-in-1 smart dock with a 5.5-inch built-in display, and it could be ideal as a secondary display alongside a desktop PC or laptop. This device is a Kickstarter project with an early-bird price of $119.

There are some marked differences in comparison to Corsair's Xeneon Edge. The ScreenDock has a much smaller 5.5-inch display (with a 1080 x 720 resolution) instead of 14.5-inches, and it lacks any touchscreen capability. The latter is what gives the Xeneon Edge its Stream Deck-style functionality (Elgato's shortcut command center with programmable keys), especially with the official virtual Stream Deck widget.

However, the ScreenDock serves the same broad purpose as Corsair's handy display, allowing PC owners to use it for overlays, third-party applications, or simply as an extended screen on Windows 11.

And the ScreenDock has two major advantages itself. Unlike the Xeneon Edge, Cabletime's device is also a dock, with multiple USB-C, USB-A, and Ethernet ports, as well as an HDMI port (4K 60Hz). The ScreenDock has a foldable design too, helping users preserve desk space, with brightness and power on/off buttons which aren't present on Corsair's display.

So small it looks like a mobile phone... (Image credit: Cabletime)Caution first

If you're liking the look of Cabletime's ScreenDock, bear in mind that it's still at a relatively early stage. A lot could go wrong with a crowdfunded device as we've seen in the past, between potential manufacturing issues or shipping delays, so be suitably cautious about committing your cash.

If this crowdfunding effort is successful, it could serve as a strong competitor to Corsair's device, which has been considered overpriced (starting at $249.99 / £219.99 / AU$389).

The ScreenDock is only at early-bird pricing right now, so naturally it will be more expensive at its full price. With its 8-in-1 smart dock capabilities, it will be interesting to see how it stacks up against Corsair's premium device.

Consumer prices in July were up 3.4% from a year ago — a smaller annual increase than in May or June. The news makes it less likely the Fed will feel the need to raise interest rates in September.

(Image credit: Justin Sullivan)

I’ve always liked the Google Pixel Fold. It was, for a time, one of the thinner and more interesting folding phones on the market, but it’s since been nudged aside by ultra-slim Samsung Galaxy Z Fold devices, and now the still-fresh and oddly shaped Galaxy Z Fold 8. The new Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold is, however, an exciting new entrant in the growing foldable field.

It's not just thinner (slightly) and a lot lighter than its predecessor. Google has cleaned up the design, shrinking bezels, enlarging a screen, reducing the size of the hinges, vastly reducing the size of the camera array island, and even adding an unusual hardware notification feature.

In my brief hands-on time with this new foldable, I found the Pixel 11 Pro Fold surprisingly intriguing.

Unfolding more price hikes

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

Like so many other consumer electronics gadgets this year, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is more expensive than the last model ($1,899 versus $1,799 in the US). One might assume that this is due to design and feature enhancements, but I think it’s all down to the rising cost of memory and storage, which we can mostly blame on the demands of AI — which I guess we can also blame in part on Google itself. After all, Gemini is now at the heart of almost everything the company makes and does, including the Pixel 11 Pro Fold. It’s packed with Gemini-related features, most of which I did not have the chance to try out during our jam-packed hands-on session.

At a high level, Google has obviously taken notes on all the ways the Pixel 10 Pro Fold didn’t quite hit the mark, and refined in this new foldable to seriously compete with the likes of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and Z Fold 8.

Lance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / Future

On the cover screen, the black bezel around the display has shrunk significantly to accommodate the now 6.5-inch Super Actual display. The main, flexible screen is still eight inches, but the bezels around it also look thinner.

Folded, the phone’s hinge looks even more well-hidden, now sitting essentially flat against the two folded halves. Google tells me the internal panels under the folding display feature a Titanium plate and flexible hinge panel under layers of polymer, slightly thicker and stronger Ultra-Thin glass, and the OLED panel. The hinge mechanism itself is wider on the inside to further reduce deformation. When unfolded, the phone looks virtually flat, and the crease is harder to detect than on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold.

The Pixel 11 Pro Fold is on the left, and the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is on the rightLance Ulanoff / FutureThe Pixel 11 Pro Fold is on the left, and the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is on the rightLance Ulanoff / Future

While not as thin as the 4.1mm-thick Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold has slimmed and trimmed a bit compared to its predecessor. It’s now just 5mm thick, as opposed to the roughly 5.1mm of the 10 Pro Fold. More notable is the 239g chassis weight; that’s almost 20 grams lighter than the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, and I can tell you that in my hand the weight loss is noticeable. This is now a relatively lightweight and quite attractive device that also still happens to be IP68-rated, something no other foldable can claim to be at the moment.

As with virtually every other smartphone on the planet, the thinner profile is broken by a camera island that juts out of the back to accommodate, among other things, the three lenses. I was, though, pleased to discover that Google has shrunk this island considerably, so that it no longer looks like a giant block slapped onto the back of an otherwise attractively smooth and flat surface.

Lance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / Future

The other big and noteworthy design and hardware addition — and one that lives in that island — is HiLight.

HiLight is a collection of multi-colored LEDs that sit on the back of the phone, inside the space typically devoted to the LED flashlight. It’s designed to be used when the phone is face down on a table; HiLight won’t even work when you're holding the phone in your hand (we tried).

For now, HiLight has just two jobs. One is to be an animated Gemini interface. It glows and flows in shades of blue, like the standard Gemini interface, to let you know it’s listening and working with you. The effect is quite nice, and indicative of more than just the work of a handful of LEDs.

This is how HiLight looks in action on a Pixel 11 Pro when responding to a Gemini query (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

HiLight’s other job is to let you know when someone who matters to you is calling. You can assign different colors (there are maybe five options) to various family members and even groups. When they call, your HiLight, which is also found on other Pixel 11 phones, pulses in that color. Again, it’s a compelling effect, though I’m not sure how many people will use it; after all, most of us, for better or worse, live with our phones in our hands.

Camera snapshot

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

Google hasn't upgraded the headline camera specs, leaving us with the 48MP wide, 10.5MP ultra-wide, and 10.8MP telephoto, but the main camera now has a new sensor that offers, according to Google, 50% better low-light performance, a potential boon for night photography.

Lance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / Future

There are also a pair of 10MP cameras for selfie shots on the main and cover screens.

I do wish Google had upped the megapixels of the cameras to better compete with the likes of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra (its main camera is 200MP), but at least we have that 5x optical zoom camera with optical (and electronic) image stabilization.

I took a few photos with the cameras, but not enough to draw any conclusions, though I would say the ultra-wide seems pretty good for macro photography.

Lance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / Future

There are some new camera features of note (AI-powered and otherwise) that, as is usually the case, will set the Pixel line apart until Google gifts them to partners like Samsung. One is called Magic Capture, which lets you photograph the peak moment without really thinking about how to capture the moment. Google says it analyzes 500 frames to find the right shot, and then crops and even unblurs it to turn it into a usable photo. I did not get to try this feature out.

Camera Looks applies aesthetic filters during capture, which is something I’m not sure I’d ever use. I prefer to see the unvarnished image, and then decide if it needs some adjustment to give it more drama or punch.

I am excited to try the Creators Suite, which is adding, among other things, an on-screen teleprompter. That would be a huge help for me when I film video reviews and need to read off a script.

Good looks and smaller battery

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

Everything from websites to maps and photos looked great on both screens. Neither display is significantly different to those on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, but both do enjoy a nice peak brightness bump, up to 3,600 nits from 3,000. I pushed the screens to peak brightness, although being indoors I could not tell if they were sunlight beaters.

I was a little surprised to learn that the battery size has dropped from 5015mAh to 4750mAh, a fact that may account for the Fold’s lighter weight — this change might have made more sense if Google had switched to the denser silicon carbon battery technology (same charge in less space) now found in the entire Galaxy Z8 line. While I’m worried that the smaller battery might result in shorter battery life, Google is still promising 24 hours of use on a full charge.

On the bright side, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold still has Pixel Snap, a MagSafe-style magnetic charge ring that lets the phone magnetically snap onto Qi charge stands and phone grips. I tried it on the new device, and it's just as satisfying to use as ever.

In my brief time with the phone, I enjoyed smooth performance (helped in part by a 1-120Hz display), which is mostly due to some impressive specs. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold arrives with 16GB of RAM (even more than you get with the base Pixel 10 Pro), and starts with 256GB of storage, going up to 1TB.

More exciting, though, is the Google Tensor G6, the first 2nm-process mobile CPU. I don’t expect the processor to be wildly faster than the best Apple and Qualcomm have to offer, but that 2nm might make it far more efficient. In fact, it could be the reason why Google felt comfortable reducing the size of the battery.

Overall, I’m encouraged by what I see. This is easily the best-looking Pixel Fold to date. It’s lighter, thinner, possibly faster and more efficient, and, of course, should be a fantastic showcase for Gemini. My one Gemini experience, by the way, was taking a macro photo of a floral array and then giving Gemini screen access so I could ask it to identify the flower. It did so quickly and effortlessly.

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

As for how the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold competes with the new Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and the unusually shaped Z Fold 8, well, it stands nearly toe-to-toe with the Ultra model, though I think the Ultra has it beat on photo capabilities. The Z Fold 8 Ultra is also considerably lighter, making it feel like a no-compromises flagship with a secret 8-inch display. It’s harder to compare the Pixel 11 Pro Fold to the Galaxy Z Fold 8. The aspect ratios are so different, and the camera capabilities are quite far apart (favoring the Pixel). Ultimately, I think the two foldables are for completely different customers.

If you’re thinking about a pure Google and Gemini experience on the biggest screen you can fit in your pocket, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is a pretty good bet, and may make you happier than the pricier Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, which might overwhelm you by packing no fewer than three on-board AI systems.

Google has had a big day of launches — not only did we get our first official look at the Pixel 11 series, which have leaked extensively over the past few weeks, we also got a new Pixel Watch, and even an AirTag rival.

Those leaks and rumors meant we already had a good idea of what to expect, but that doesn’t mean there weren't any surprises.

This year's Made by Google 2026 event takes place later today, at 3pm PT / 6pm ET / 11pm BST on August 12 ( that's 8am AEST on August 13) — here's how to watch it. But we've already had some hands-on time with the new devices, and below we’ve picked out the seven biggest things we learned about the Pixel 11 series, Pixel Watch 5 and Pixel Tag...

1. The Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL should be the best models yet — and even have lights on the back

The Google Pixel 11 Pro (Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff)

Google’s non-foldable flagships for 2026 are the Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL, and they have numerous upgrades over their predecessors. But the most interesting element is arguably ‘HiLight’.

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This is an array of LED lights built into the camera’s flash module, which can alert you to calls from favorite contacts via customized color glows when your phone is face down and silenced. And these lights will also pulse when Gemini is listening, thinking, or responding.

Beyond that, the Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL also boast some camera and chipset improvements that we’ve detailed below, plus brighter screens that can reach 3,600 nits.

Not everything has been upgraded though — in fact these phones have a starting RAM capacity of 12GB, while their predecessors came with 16GB as standard. You can still get 16GB here, but you’ll have to pay for the privilege.

Read more: I tried the new Pixel 11 range, and Google's made loads of improvements, with a surprising 'HiLight'

Check out the best Google Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro preorder deals

2. The cameras have received numerous upgrades, including a new Magic Capture mode

The Google Pixel 11 Pro XL (Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff)

At first glance the cameras on this year’s Pixels might look much the same as their predecessors, given that the megapixel counts haven’t changed. But look closer and there are plenty of upgrades.

For example, the Pixel 11’s 48MP main camera now has a larger sensor for 56% more light sensitivity. The Pro models also gain some new sensors, plus a 120x digital zoom — up from 100x on the Pixel 10 Pro series.

And there are new modes, like Magic Capture, which with a single tap will capture both a video and multiple images of a scene — complete with automatic cropping and unblurring.

There’s also a new Camera Looks feature, which allows you to create a set of personalized film styles and photo aesthetics.

3. The new Tensor G6 chipset is faster and more efficient

The Google Pixel 11 Pro (Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff)

It’s no surprise that the Pixel 11 series sports a new chipset, but the Tensor G6 sounds like quite an upgrade in some areas, with up to 20% better power efficiency, 25% faster browsing, and 15% faster app loading, as well as boosting image processing and Gemini performance.

So these phones should be noticeably faster and more fluid than their predecessors, across a range of tasks.

4. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold is brighter and thinner than its predecessor

The Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

Google’s priciest new phone is the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, and this of course benefits from the Tensor G6 chipset and some of the camera upgrades detailed above, along with the new HiLight feature.

But it also has a peak brightness on its foldable screen of 3,600 nits — up from 3,000 nits on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, and it’s slimmer and lighter too, coming in at 10.1mm thick when folded, 5.0mm thick when unfolded, and 239g.

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For comparison, the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold is 10.8mm thick when folded, 5.2mm thick when unfolded, and 258g.

Read more: I spent a couple of hours with the new Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold — it’s not a reinvention, but a nudge toward perfection

These are the best Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold preorder deals

5. The Pixel 11 got a storage boost

The Google Pixel 11 (Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff)

The Pixel 11 also has a Tensor G6 chipset, plus the camera upgrades highlighted further up, and on top of that it’s received a storage boost, now starting at 256GB rather than the 128GB of its predecessor.

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That said, the starting price has actually increased too, so you’re paying the same as you would have for a 256GB model last year, there’s just now no option of a cheaper 128GB version.

Many of the specs — camera and chipset aside — are also very similar to the Google Pixel 10’s, and you don’t get Google’s new HiLight feature with the Pixel 11, so it will be interesting to see whether this tempts many buyers.

6. The Pixel Watch 5 is Google’s most advanced health and fitness wearable yet

The Google Pixel Watch 5 (Image credit: Google)

This event wasn’t just about phones — we also saw the Pixel Watch 5, and this is very much focused on health and fitness upgrades.

On the health side, that includes being able to track blood pressure patterns before they can put strain on your heart, and track insulin resistance over time. For fitness, Google claims this offers its most accurate GPS yet, and it also sports a new Key Metrics view, which helps you analyze your performance after a workout.

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And when you’re sleeping, the Google Pixel Watch 5 has a Sleep Breathing Quality feature that analyzes minute-by-minute variations in your blood oxygen levels. And of course all the core Pixel Watch 4 features have made a return too.

Read more: I test smartwatches for a living, and the Google Pixel Watch 5 beats Apple and Samsung in 5 key ways

7. The Pixel Tag has landed as an AirTag rival

(Image credit: Future)

Google has also launched its first tracker, called simply the Pixel Tag. There’s not too much to say about this yet — if you’ve used an AirTag, Samsung Galaxy Smart Tag, or anything along those lines you know basically what to expect.

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But it comes in a ‘Fog’ shade, has a built-in speaker, includes ultra-wideband for precision finding, has an IP67 rating (so it’s moderately water resistant), and is powered by a replaceable coin cell battery that should last over a year. It’s also light, at just 11.8g.

Read more: The Pixel Tag is here — but it won't be an AirTag for Android until Google fixes these Find Hub issues

After many months of leaks, renders, and even actual device photos shared by Google itself, the technology giant is making its latest lineup of phones officially official. And while Trevor Noah, of The Daily Show fame, and Alex Cooper, of Call Her Daddy fame, will take the stage later this evening, August 12, to help unveil the lineup, I've already spent time with the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, and Pixel 11 Pro XL.

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And this isn't a year where Google is going back to the drawing board and starting from scratch. Instead, the Pixel 11 lineup feels like the company is doubling down on a design language it has spent the last few years developing.

There are fresh colors, some upgraded hardware, and an even faster chip under the hood, but don't expect a revolution here.

All three phones are powered by Google's new Tensor G6 chip, which could help the Pixel lineup put up a stronger fight against Qualcomm's latest silicon, including the chips powering the latest Galaxy phones, including the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8.

I haven't put the Tensor G6 through extensive testing yet, but Google is promising a faster processor for things like web browsing and app launches, alongside a more efficient neural processing unit (called the TPU) that should let the Pixel 11 series handle AI tasks faster without draining the battery as quickly.

The Tensor G6 is also built on a 2nm process for better efficiency overall, and all three phones start with 12GB of RAM.

My early experience is that everything feels suitably quick and responsive, but I wouldn't make any sweeping performance claims just yet. For now, the bigger story is that Google seems to be building on the Tensor formula, focusing on efficiency rather than simply chasing speed.

The Pixel 11 in its fun 'Hibiscus' finish (Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff)

That approach is perhaps most obvious with the standard Pixel 11. Of the three, I think it has the best color options. The new Hibiscus (above) is particularly eye-catching — a bright, almost neon pinkish berry that gives the phone considerably more personality. There are also Obsidian, Pistachio, and Frost options, but Hibiscus is the one that immediately caught my eye.

It's still a 6.3-inch phone, making it a comfortable size for anyone who doesn't want a massive flagship in their pocket.

Around back, there's a welcome change. If you've never loved the sheer thickness of the Pixel's camera bar, Google has slimmed it down by 40%, and the difference is noticeable.

The Pixel 11's smaller camera bump is very welcome (Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff)

The rear panel remains glossy, while the edges have a matte finish. Still, after spending time with the Pixel 10a, I can't help but wish Google would bring that phone's fully flush camera design to its higher-end models.

The Pixel 11 gets a 48-megapixel main camera with a larger sensor that Google says should improve overall performance, alongside a 10.8-megapixel telephoto and 13-megapixel ultrawide.

But there's nothing here that feels radically different from what Google has been doing with Pixel, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

The Pixel 11 Pro has a smart look, but the camera bar is prominent (Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff)

If you want a little more from the hardware, the Pixel 11 Pro is where things start to get more interesting. It's the same 6.3-inch size as the Pixel 11, but gets a display that's higher resolution and brighter, plus a more premium build and improvements to all the rear cameras.

I particularly like the finish, with Google sticking with a matte rear panel and glossy edges. It looks best in Canyon, a mix of pink, orange, and gold. You can also get it in Olive and Fog, as well as Obsidian, which gets a glossy treatment.

At $1,099 (about £1,079 / AU$1,560), the Pixel 11 Pro isn't cheap, but this feels like the model that could hit the sweet spot for people who want Google's best features without carrying around a massive phone.

If you do want something bigger, there's the Pixel 11 Pro XL for $1,299 (about £1,279 / AU$1,840), with a 6.8-inch display and a bigger battery under the hood. Otherwise, it's essentially the same Pro experience, just larger.

Both the Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL also benefit from a new main camera sensor designed to improve low-light performance. The setup remains a very robust one: a 50-megapixel main camera paired with a 48MP ultrawide and 48MP telephoto.

But Google is pushing the zoom capabilities considerably further this time around, with up to 120x zoom.

Is a 120x image really a photograph, or is it an AI-generated interpretation of what Google thinks should be there?

Google is using specialized AI processing to make those extremely zoomed-in images look better, so that's something I absolutely want to put through its paces before passing final judgment.

The biggest hardware change on the Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL, though, lives around the flash.

Google calls it HiLight — yes, with that interesting capitalization — and it's an array of LEDs surrounding the flash that can glow in various colors. It doesn't impact your photos or replace the flash; instead, it's a smart little indicator that Google can use for different things.

At launch, its capabilities are relatively limited, but I think Google might have something interesting here.

Flip the Pixel 11 Pro or Pro XL face down on a table, and HiLight can spring to life when Gemini is listening, giving you a visual indication without needing to turn the phone over and look at the screen.

It's a small thing, but I like it. There's also a more personal use that seems more helpful: You can assign specific colors to select contacts, and those alerts can break through Do Not Disturb or silent modes.

So, for example, you could assign a particular color to your partner, parent, or kid. If that person calls while your phone is face down, HiLight can glow in that color and tell you who's trying to reach you without you needing to pick up the phone.

That feels particularly clever because flipping a Pixel face down has traditionally been a way to disconnect from it and silence notifications.

HiLight doesn't completely undo that idea. Instead, it gives you a way to stay disconnected while still knowing when something important is happening.

Notification lights are nothing new, but this feels like the clearest and smartest implementation of one yet that doesn't involve just putting a second screen on the back — I just hope Google does more with it, because it feels like Google is playing it safe so far.

(Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff)

And that's really my takeaway from the Pixel 11 lineup. Google doesn't seem particularly interested in reinventing the Pixel this year.

The design is familiar, but more refined. The camera bar is thinner. The colors are excellent. The Tensor G6 promises meaningful gains in performance and efficiency, while the Pro models get better displays and cameras and a genuinely new hardware trick in HiLight.

The Pixel 11 Pro feels like the sweet spot, offering a true flagship experience that feels very much like a Pixel and tosses in some flair with HiLight.

So, that's an early look at the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, and Pixel 11 Pro XL. It might seem underwhelming if you were hoping for a complete rethinking of Google's flagship phones, but I think this lineup also shows that Google has landed on a design and formula that it's really starting to hit its stride with.

For Pixel loyalists, that's probably a good thing. Google is keeping what's working, refining it where it can, and adding a few new tricks along the way. I just wish HiLight was coming to more of the lineup, and perhaps Google had one or two extra tricks up its sleeve that really felt 'new' like that.

After the Apple AirTag, and the Samsung Galaxy Smart Tag, we finally have the Google Pixel Tag too — and at first glance, without having tested it, it seems like a decent device. There's water resistance, ultra-wideband (UWB) support for more precise location reporting, and a replaceable CR2032 battery that should last over a year.

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Obviously, the Pixel Tag will work with Google's Find Hub, which already lets you track people and devices (including phones, tablets, smartwatches, and earbuds) from a web browser or an Android app.

But it's that Find Hub that might end up holding the Pixel Tag back, for now at least. In some areas it's not quite as slick and as comprehensive as the equivalent Find My service that Apple offers for its various devices. Here are five improvements I think Google could make to Find Hub, which would really help the Pixel Tag take off.

1. Notify when left behind

(Image credit: Future)

This is something that Apple's Find My does really well, and something that's genuinely useful: you can set up warnings to appear whenever your iPhone gets separated from your Mac, iPad, AirPods, or a specific AirTag. The idea is it can save you from walking out of the door at home or the office and leaving behind a particular gadget that you'll need.

There's no such feature on Google Find Hub — you can get alerts when specific people leave or arrive at places, but there's not an equivalent option for your devices. If you set off in the morning without your Android tablet or your Pixel Buds, then you're going to have to do without them until you return. It's something I think I'd use in Google Find Hub a lot.

The Google Find Hub on the web (Image credit: Future)2. See location tracking over time

(Image credit: Future)

Google Find Hub is fine for seeing where devices are now, but what about where they used to be? Seeing a breadcrumb trail of a missing camera or phone can be very useful in terms of tracking it down — and the same feature can be used to map out a walking trail, for example, or to keep an eye on the kids. It's something Samsung SmartThings does well.

Clearly this brings up concerns about potential stalking, but I think Google could build in enough safeguards and enough explicit permissions to make sure the devices you're tracking really do belong to you (specific confirmations could be regularly requested for example). It's another upgrade that would make Find Hub significantly more useful.

3. Reverse tracker ringing

(Image credit: Future)

Through the Google Find Hub you can get any of your tracked devices to make a sound so they're easier to locate, but there's no option to make your phone ring from a connected Bluetooth tracker — such as, say, a Pixel Tag. It's the kind of reverse tracking that might come in handy if you've still got your tracker but your phone has disappeared somewhere.

What makes the feature omission more frustrating is that you can do this with trackers from the likes of Pebblebee and Motorola, but only if you use them through their own companion apps rather than Google Find Hub. It means owners of these other trackers are more likely to end up not using Find Hub, which makes it less useful for everyone else.

4. Too many tracking options

If you delve into the settings screen for Find Hub on most Android devices, you'll see four options for controlling how those devices are found by, and contribute to, the network crowdsourcing that's needed for locating lost gadgets. For example, you can opt to get a ping when one other Android device sees your lost item, or wait for multiple reports.

To Google's credit, this is designed to give you more control over your devices and how they contribute anonymously to the Find Hub network. What's more, the four options are reduced to two on newer Android devices starting from the Pixel 10. Even so, it's still a bit of overly onerous configuration that is more difficult to understand than it should be.

There are certain options that could be simplified (Image credit: Future)5. You can't revert to Bluetooth-only operation

(Image credit: Future)

The Find Hub app on your Android phone requires both an internet connection and Bluetooth in order to locate your trackers, and while most of the time that's all well and good, there may be occasions when you don't have the Wi-Fi or cellular signal you need — and on those occasions you can't simply switch to Bluetooth-only operation for tracking.

So if you're traveling on trains and planes with a spotty connection, or just arrived in a foreign country and haven't been able to get online yet, or you're hiking in the wilderness with no signal, you're pretty much cut off from your Bluetooth trackers even though they might be nearby and detectable — another missing function I'd like to see Google add in.

The Google Pixel Watch 5 has landed, alongside a slew of compatible phones including the Google Pixel 11 and its Pro, Pro XL and even Pro Fold variations. While the phones look great, It’s the watch that’s drawn my attention, and there’s a lot to like here.

Arriving in two sizes (41mm and 45mm) just like in previous years, with Canyon, Obsidian and Fog colored bands, as well as a special NBA-star Stephen Curry-themed edition, the Google Pixel Watch 5 is priced starting from $399.99 / £369 / AU$649 for the 41mm model, and $429.99 / £399.99 / AU$699 for the 45mm model, with LTE-capable models costing extra.

What do you get for your money? Well, the Pixel Watch 5 has received several quality-of-life improvements over last year's model. These include Google’s ever-improving wrist-based Gemini integrations, Google Health's new AI fitness coach, GPS that can reportedly go head-to-head with the likes of the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro, and a new suite of handy background health features called Health Guardian, which is available on Pixel Watch 3 and up.

While I haven’t gone hands-on with the watch just yet, judging by its specs sheet the Pixel Watch 5 is every inch a competitor to the Apple Watch Series 11 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9.

It’s slightly difficult to compare watches from different ecosystems, but while it’s unlikely the quality of a smartwatch is going to be a tipping point for someone changing phones, and possibly tablets or computers to better work within a particular walled garden, these features could be a contributing factor to a decision to switch from Google to Apple or Samsung, or vice versa.

Let’s look at each flagship watch’s specs side-by-side below (I've used the larger models for clarity: the 45mm Pixel Watch 5, the 46mm Apple Watch Series 11 and the 44mm Samsung Galaxy Watch 9), then I’ll go through all the unique stuff Google’s just announced.

Specs comparison table

Watch

Google Pixel Watch 5 (45mm)

Apple Watch Series 11 (46mm

Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 (44mm)

Price

From $429.99 / £399 / AU$699

From $429 / £399 / AU$699

$409.99 / £379.00 / AU$699

Dimensions

45mm x 45mm x 12.3mm

46mm x 39mm x 9.7mm

46.0 mm × 43.7 mm × 8.6 mm

Weight

37g (no strap)

38g (no strap)

34g (no strap)

Case/bezel

100% recycled aluminum

Aluminum or titanium (100% recycled)

Armor aluminum

Display

Actua 360 display with Corning Gorilla Glass 5

LTP03 OLED

SuperAMOLED, Sapphire crystal

GPS

Dual Frequency GPS: GPS, Galileo, Glonass, BeiDou, QZSS

L1 GPS, GNSS, Galileo, and BeiDou

L1+L5 GPS, Glonass, Galileo, BeiDou

Battery life

Up to 40 hours

24 hours

Up to 40 hours

Connection

Bluetooth 6.0, wifi, LTE available

Bluetooth 5.3, wifi, LTE available

Bluetooth 6.0, wifi, LTE available

Water resistance

5ATM, IP68

WR50 and IP7X

5ATM, IP68

As we can see above, one of the key things that we can take away from this year’s top crop of smartwatches is that they’re all starting to look and feel the same, at least on paper. Similar prices, specs, battery life and feature sets: there’s very little separation here in terms of nuts-and-bolts quality. However, there are a few aspects — some featured in the table above, some not — that help the Pixel Watch 5 stand out from the pack.

Repairability

(Image credit: Google)

One of the best things about the Pixel Watch 5, which debuted last year on the Pixel Watch 4, is the fact that it’s repairable. You can use a standard Torx T2 precision screwdriver set to disassemble the watch and replace its battery and display, an unusual feature for small, water-resistant electronics like smartwatches — but certainly a welcome one, as anything that extends the life of the device and reduces e-waste is a fantastic initiative in our books.

It’s a feature we’d love to see adopted across the board — including by Apple and Samsung.

Battery life

(Image credit: Google)

While the Google Pixel Watch 5’s battery life seems to be roughly equal to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9’s offering, both devices handily beat out the Apple Watch Series 11’s 24 hour guarantee, even though that’s an improvement from the 18 hours of previous iterations. At smaller sizes, the Pixel and Samsung watch’s battery lives return to up to 30 hours; still not a lot and a pain point for people used to the likes of the best Garmin watches, but better than Apple’s offering.

The Google Pixel Watch 5, like Apple's wearable, offers fast charging, with just one hour until full. However, it’s also got a neat little charger held over from last year: a dock that allows you to turn your watch into a little upright bedside alarm clock. Cute!

GPS

This is a tricky one. Practically speaking, there might very little in this competition in terms of GPS accuracy, but Apple is on the back foot here. While Apple’s Ultra 3 comes with some of the most sophisticated and accurate GPS credentials on the market, the mainline Apple Watch Series 11 only offers single-band GPS in comparison to the Galaxy Watch 9 and Pixel Watch 5, which offer dual band L1+L5 GPS.

The Google Pixel Watch 5 also connects to more satellite networks than either watch, and is said to match the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro and Apple Watch Ultra 3 in terms of accuracy — according to Google. This is yet to be tested in the field, but I’ll run or cycle my usual routes with an Ultra 3 or Fenix 8 Pro once I get my hands on the watch to test this for myself.

Satellite comms

Speaking of satellites, they’re good for more than just GPS accuracy. While all three watches have LTE-enabled models, allowing you to add them to your phone’s data plan (available at an additional cost) the Google Pixel Watch 5 has a feature usually reserved for premium, Ultra-tier watches: emergency SOS satellite communication messaging.

A holdover from the Pixel Watch 4, satellite connectivity allows you to use the watch to communicate with emergency services using the Skylo satellite network, offering two-way messaging and location sharing. It works without your phone and is optimized for ultra-low power consumption.

New health features: Breathing Emergency Detection and Insulin Resistance Trends

(Image credit: Google)

The Google Pixel Watch 5 gets a handful of new features, including blood pressure (long thought of as the holy grail for optical LED heart rate sensors, blood pressure or hypertension detection is starting to make its way into the smartwatch market now), and Breathing Emergency Detection. Similar to last year's Loss of Pulse Detection, the Pixel Watch 5 can detect a marked drop in oxygen saturation and auto-contact emergency services, even sharing your location.

Most intriguingly, it also packs an Insulin Resistance Trends feature. This isn’t available yet (said to be coming September 2026) but neither Samsung nor Apple watches have this feature right now. Insulin Resistance Trends is billed as a non-invasive way (unlike continuous glucose monitors, which require needles) to monitor or estimate your body’s efforts to regulate blood sugar.

Google says the feature is 'a personal efficiency meter, giving you a sense of how efficiently your body absorbs energy from food and manages it throughout your activities.' Eating and drinking spikes your blood sugar, and exercise brings it back down as glucose is used for fuel.

The Insulin Resistance Trends feature works as part of Google's new Health Guardian suite of features, monitoring health trends in the background. Essential for diabetics, it’s also useful for weight management in general, and I’m intrigued to see the consensus on this feature, and how it works, once it lands.

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