Google to let you buy Pixel 11 before launch event

Google will let you buy the Pixel 11 before its own launch event, offering customers an eight-hour head start over the usual wait for product details. Countdown clocks spotted on both the Google Store and Best Buy indicate that pre-orders for the next flagship phone will go live hours before Google starts its livestreamed presentation.

A morning announcement followed by an evening event

Countdown timers on retailer landing pages end on August 12 at 7:00 a.m. PT. This timing strongly suggests that Google plans to drop all the official device details and open pre-orders first thing in the morning. The main Made by Google event won’t actually take place until 3:00 p.m. PT that same day.

Google pulled a similar move with the Pixel 10 launch last year, but that gap was only a single hour. This time around, they are giving prospective buyers an eight-hour window to order their hardware before the main stage production kicks off.

Setting up pre-orders ahead of the actual event means fans can secure their new phone early in the day and skip the afternoon fanfare entirely if they choose. Whether you want the standard flagship or the new foldable, keeping your browser ready on August 12 ensures you are not left waiting in line for the keynote.

Pixel 11 Pro Fold gets an official teaser

Alongside the early pre-order timeline, Google dropped a quick 15-second teaser video confirming the existence of the Pixel 11 Pro Fold. Following a similar teaser released for the standard Pixel 11 Pro, the short clip leans into the phrase, “To switch phones, you have to be open to what’s new. And to what opens.”

The video gives fans a quick glance at the device’s rear design, highlighting a redesigned, pill-shaped camera island protruding from the back glass. While the teaser keeps technical specs under wraps, it confirms that Google’s next foldable will share the stage with the main Pixel 11 lineup.