Today, Google launched three different flavors of the Pixel 11 series. If three levels of flatness aren’t enough, the series has a fourth option for you: a new and improved Pixel 11 Pro Fold.

Like the rest of the series, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is lighter than its predecessor. It’s almost 10 percent lighter and around 1mm thinner than the Pixel 10 Pro Fold.

For a foldable, it’s also Google’s most durable. The foldable has the new scratch-resistant Super Actua display, touting 3600nits of brightness. Plus, the rear has a new glass fiber composite back cover, which Google says is “nearly impossible to crack.” It also has IP68 dust and water resistance.

Inside, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold comes with the new Tensor G6 chipset paired with 16GB of RAM.

For cameras, the foldable has the new 48-megapixel main sensor and a telephoto lens that touts up to 30x Super Zoom. The camera bar then comes in a smaller format on the top left corner of the rear.

Much like the regular phones, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold comes with the new HiLight feature, a notification dot that lights up (and can be customized) whenever notifications pop up.

Finally, the foldable has faster wired charging, promising half of the battery’s capacity in only 30 minutes of charging time. It’s also 20 percent faster with 25W Qi2.2 wireless charging built inside.

The Pixel 11 Pro Fold comes in two colorway options: Obsidian and Olive. It hits shelves in August 20.

The Pixel 11 series is here! Though we want to say we’re surprised, Google’s yearly flagships are often the least kept secrets heading into their respective debuts. While today is no different, there’s still a lot to look at underneath the microscope, so without further ado, here’s all the nitty gritty with the Pixel 11.

The series comes in three flavors: Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, and Pixel 11 Pro XL. (Technically, there’s a foldable, but that deserves its own spotlight.)

In terms of design, the series shares in the same philosophy as its predecessors. However, the formerly sizable camera bar has reduced its thickness by 40 percent, making it much more comfortable in your pockets or even just laying flat on a surface.

All three models will come with the Google Tensor G6 chipset. It’s the company’s most powerful chip yet, touting 25 percent faster browsing and 15 percent faster app launches. All three will also start at 256GB of storage. Both the regular model and the Pro comes with Qi 2.2 25W compatibility.

Additionally, the Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL comes with Google’s brightest Super Actua display, peaking at 3,600 nits of brightness. It’s also very durable with an anti-scratch display and a drop-resistant design.

As for cameras, the series starts with an upgraded 48-megapixel main sensor. The sensor takes in more light, allowing for better shots. Additionally, the improved chipset allows the camera to go up to 30x Super Zoom. Meanwhile, the Pro and Pro XL bump this even further with better light sensitivity and a Pro Zoom going up to 120x Pro Zoom.

Speaking of cameras, the camera bar now has something new called HiLight. If you’ve owned a Nothing phone, you’ll likely find this familiar. It’s a notification light that turns on (and can be customized) when you get notifications.

Price, availability

The Pixel 11 comes in four colorway options: Pistachio, Hibiscus, Frost, and Obsidian. It starts at US$ 899.

The Pro and Pro XL come in four different flavors: Canyon, Fog, Olive, and Obsidian. They start at US$ 1,099 and US$ 1,299, respectively.

All three phones go on sale starting August 20.

The HONOR Robot Phone may have officially launched, but don’t expect this version to immediately make its way to global markets.

HONOR told media in Shenzhen that it currently has no plans to bring the current Robot Phone outside China. The main hurdle isn’t the hardware. It’s the phone’s AI experience, which is currently optimized for the Chinese market.

HONOR believes a future generation of the Robot Phone would be better positioned for a true global rollout once its AI experience is ready for markets outside China.

That doesn’t mean HONOR is abandoning the idea. Quite the opposite.

More than a phone with a moving camera

The Robot Phone is HONOR’s attempt to introduce a new idea to the smartphone market. It combines a smartphone with a 4DoF mechanical gimbal, allowing its camera to physically move. 

Its AI features take that concept further. YOYO Robot Mode can use voice commands, gestures, and AI tracking to control the camera. It can also automatically pan and tilt to keep a person in frame during vlogs, livestreams, and video calls. 

The phone also brings selected elements of ARRI Image Science and professional cinema workflows to its camera system. Its 200MP gimbal main camera supports 10-bit ARRI LogC3 recording, while ARRI Wide Gamut 3 and ARRI Looks give creators more control over their footage. 

But HONOR isn’t treating the Robot Phone primarily as a volume-driving product.

The company says its bigger goal is to introduce a new concept to the smartphone market and see what kind of effect it can have.

That makes the Robot Phone an interesting experiment for HONOR. The hardware is already here. The company now wants to learn what happens when a smartphone can physically move, respond to its surroundings, and use AI to help operate itself.

For now, though, China is where that experiment begins.