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Tech News
Counterpoint Research reports that global smartphone retail prices have risen 15% in 2026, driven by rising component and memory costs, but US prices have climbed only 5% on average. Price-sensitive markets like India, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East/Africa have seen much steeper increases of 16-21%, while Europe and China saw 7% and 10% hikes respectively.
With the Google Pixel 11 series now available in bold colors and featuring a new HiLight LED on Pro models, reviewers have rounded up recommended protective cases for the phones. Options highlighted include the slim, protective Spigen Liquid Air and the grip-focused dBrand Grip Case, among several others covering different price points and styles.
Google's My Pixel app, previously called Pixel Tips, has been sending push notifications to owners of older Pixel phones promoting the new Pixel 11 series and Pixel Watch 5, often without users opting in. Android Authority polled over 9,600 readers on whether smartphone advertising has gone too far, and 93.9% said yes.
Google released its monthly Android feature drop this week, adding tools like a motion sickness reducer for screen use in moving vehicles, shared notes within chat threads, camera-based object identification, and customizable Google Messages chat themes. The update also lets users ask Gemini to remember where they placed everyday items, such as passports or keys, storing that information in Google's Find Hub tracking app.
Pixel 11 owners have reported static noise appearing in videos recorded using the Video Boost feature, which enhances color, lighting, stabilization and low-light detail. Google told Android Authority it has identified the cause and built a software fix that will roll out through the Camera app in the coming weeks, with further optimizations arriving in a future monthly Android update.
Google switched the Pixel 11 series from Samsung's Exynos modem to a MediaTek chip to fix years of connectivity complaints, but a subset of owners are now reporting 5G icons with no data, Wi-Fi dropouts, slow speeds, and network switching issues shortly after purchase. Reports have surfaced on Reddit from multiple Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro XL owners, though many other buyers say their devices work fine.
Testing of the Pixel 11 Pro XL's new Extreme Charging feature found it sustains peak power output of around 41W for roughly 16 minutes, compared to 10 minutes in standard mode, cutting charging times as Google promised but at the cost of higher heat generation. The feature also proved finicky to activate, only appearing after two full charge cycles and a wait, and it requires a specific 45W USB PD PPS charger supporting 21V rather than the more common 11V PPS chargers.
Poco has unveiled its F9 Pro and F9 Ultra flagship phones, continuing its Bose audio partnership for a second year. The F9 Ultra features an upgraded 2.1 Bose sound system with a glowing LED ring around its subwoofer, plus a 6.9-inch OLED display rated at 10,000 nits peak brightness and a 185Hz refresh rate aimed at gamers.
Google confirmed that Device Help, a Gemini feature that lets users describe what they want their phone to do and have Gemini adjust settings automatically, isn't limited to the Pixel 11 series. A Google employee showed the feature working on other Pixel devices running Android 17, and said support will expand to additional devices over time.
Multiple Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL owners say their screens wake up on their own from minor vibrations, like something being set down nearby or driving over a bump, rather than actually being picked up. The only current fix reported is disabling the 'Lift to check phone' feature entirely, and some users say the feature feels far more sensitive than on earlier Pixel models.
Google has raised the price of its 4K Google TV Streamer to $149, a $50 jump from its original $99 launch price. The change is already reflected on the Google Store and at Best Buy, though Amazon still lists the device at its older price. The streaming box, which launched in 2024 and also functions as a smart home hub, joins a wave of price hikes across Google's product lineup, including the recently released Pixel 11 phones.
A ZDNET tester took Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Google's Pixel 11 Pro Fold to Germany to compare their camera systems side by side. The Z Fold 8 relies on two 50-megapixel wide and ultrawide sensors, while the Pixel 11 Pro Fold pairs a 48-megapixel main camera with a 5x telephoto lens and a 10.5-megapixel ultrawide, giving it a zoom advantage the Samsung device lacks.