A render of a phone case for the Pixel 11 Pro XL might have given away some of the changes that Google has designed into the upcoming Pixel 11 Pro XL. We could see Google unveil the Pixel 11 series in early to mid-August. It is likely that pre-orders will begin the same day that the new line is announced, with leakers focused on retail releases calling for an August 20th availability date for the latest Pixel series.
Check out this early picture of a thin case for the Pixel 11 Pro XL
A case company called ThinBorne, located in Frisco, Texas, has put up on its website a listing for a Pixel 11 Pro XL case. The listing also includes images of the case. Even though it’s only March, you should know that case manufacturers are given specs for upcoming phones months in advance since production equipment will need to be tooled correctly so that machines churn out cases that fit the new phone perfectly.
From the images of the Pixel 11 Pro XL case, the rear camera cutout appears wider, suggesting a slightly larger camera bar for the model. Additionally, a less protruding lip for the camera bar on the Pixel 11 Pro XL case would seem to indicate that the 2026 Pixel Pro XL model will sport a thinner rear camera mount.
Google continues to redesign the Pixel’s rear camera bar
I still use my Pixel 6 Pro as my daily driver as it beat out my iPhone 15 Pro Max. The latter was benched last year about the same time that the Miami Dolphins benched QB Tua Tagovailoa. Looking at the back of my Pixel 6 Pro, it is interesting that Google continues to redesign the camera bar, which was a shocking new look when the Pixel 6 line was first unveiled in October 2021.
The ThinBorne case makes it appear that the camera bar on the Pixel 11 Pro XL is slowly moving back to a rectangular shape. The one on my Pixel 6 Pro is a rectangle and Google changed the shape and the design over the years. Speaking about the Pixel 6 Pro, many of the features that were not on that model have been added since with one big one expected this year.
You might recall that Google did not include any type of facial recognition with the Pixel 6 Pro reportedly pulling the feature at the last minute. There was very heavy speculation that Google was seeking to add Face Unlock to the Pixel 6 Pro in early 2022 but if that was the plan it never reached fruition. The Pixel 7 through Pixel 10 lines used a version of Face Unlock that does not work great in low-light. Google’s Project Toscana will supposedly add Infrared integration that will take Face Unlock on the Pixel 11 Pro XL to the same level as the iPhone’s Face ID.
Other improvements since the Pixel 6 line was launched include replacing the slow-as-molasses optical fingerprint scanner with an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor. The Pixel 6 Pro had an awful 5G modem, the Samsung Exynos 5123, that was known to lose connectivity with the user’s wireless network. While other Exynos modems were used over the years, the Pixel 11 Pro XL will feature the MediaTek M90.
The 2nm Tensor G6 will use Gate-All-Around transistors
This modem is expected to bring the Pixel 11 Pro XL‘s connectivity capabilities closer to the experience enjoyed by iPhone and Galaxy users. The iPhone 17 Pro Max is equipped with the Snapdragon X80 5G Modem, the Galaxy S26 Ultra uses the Snapdragon X85 5G Modem.
The processor will be the Tensor G6, built on TSMC’s 2nm process node. That will make it the first Tensor processor to use Gate-All-Around (GAA) transistors. These transistors have all four sides of the channel surrounded by the gate, preventing current leaks and enhancing the drive current. GAA transistors help a processor become more powerful while consuming less energy. The 2nm node will allow the Tensor G6 to deliver a 25–30% reduction in power consumption at the same speed compared to the previous 3nm N3E node used to produce the Tensor G5 processor.
Since the Pixel 6 Pro will lose support with the stable Android 17 update, I’m hoping to sell enough blood to upgrade to a Pixel 11 Pro XL.
