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This $500 Android phone shows what Google still gets wrong with the Pixel 11 camera
Confirmed
In Short: Google's Pixel 11 series, despite improvements, still misses out on key camera features, as highlighted by a $500 rival phone.
Google's Pixel 11 series, launched just under a month ago, has received mixed reviews, with some praising its advancements and others pointing out its shortcomings. According to Android Authority, the Pixel 11 and earlier base models lack certain camera features that are present in the more expensive Pixel 11 Pro series. This oversight is particularly notable given that these features have been available on previous Pixel models, such as the 2023 Pixel 8.
Xiaomi's recent release of a $500 Android phone has further emphasized the gap in Google's flagship lineup. While the Pixel 11 offers a 50MP+8MP rear camera system, this setup is not as impressive as the more advanced configurations found in the Pixel 11 Pro series. The standard Pixel 11, in comparison, lacks many of the camera features that its pricier counterpart provides, highlighting the disparity in Google's product offerings.
Full-resolution 50MP photos on budget phones are often a waste of time due to the limitations of their small camera sensors and weak chipsets. This is a common issue that affects the Pixel 11, making it less appealing for photography enthusiasts. However, the phone does come in a variety of new colors, including a sage green and a soft pink with gold accents, called Canyon, which many users find appealing.
Despite the camera limitations, the Pixel 11 does offer other improvements, such as more capable silicon and AI tricks. However, the RAM configuration has seen a change, with all Pixel 11 Pro models starting with 12GB of memory, compared to the 16GB in the Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL. This change, while not a significant improvement, does impact the overall user experience.
Google could have made more substantial changes to its flagship Pixel phone, but the company seems to have opted for incremental updates. The Pixel 10 Pro was already a highly regarded Android phone, and the Pixel 11 Pro simply builds on that success. However, the standard Pixel 11 remains a step behind, lacking the advanced features that users might expect from a flagship device.
While the Pixel 11 is not a photographer's dream, it does offer a range of new colors and a user-friendly design. The phone's software update policy is also a highlight, with a lengthy commitment to security and feature updates. Nevertheless, the absence of certain camera features in the base model highlights the ongoing disparity in Google's product lineup.
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- And a brand new $500 Android phone from a rival manufacturer drives home just how absurd Google’s practice around this continues to be.
- While Google could have tried harder to overhaul its flagship, I actually don’t think it needed to.