The Pixel 11 Pro is setting a dangerous precedent for Android upgrades

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The Pixel 11 Pro announcement was frustrating for many reasons. I hated that Google raised the price of its flagship phones while also reducing RAM on the Pro base models. While I don’t believe 12GB of RAM will noticeably hinder the user experience, it’s disappointing to pay more for less — regardless of the circumstances.

Unfortunately, there is more to the Pixel 11 Pro than meets the eye. The phone outlines precisely how Google plans to get you to upgrade more frequently, and it has nothing to do with actually needing to buy a new device.

The company doesn’t rely on specs to sell smartphones, because that’s not its target audience for the Pixel . However, there’s another reason it’s advantageous to downplay specs and performance on Pixels. Google’s about to get you to pay for new phones more frequently, and I’m afraid the plan might work.

It wasn’t an accident that Google didn’t spend much time outlining the raw performance of its Tensor G6 chipset. However, the company highlighted the G6’s improved TPU performance and capabilities. Google Rambler is the perfect example. It will take your stream-of-consciousness rambling (how appropriate) and turn it into something clean enough to send to other people. The demos were impressive, and I can easily see how that would extend Google’s lead in text-to-speech.

Whenever I hear that a new feature is made possible by chipset improvements, I get a sinking feeling. It’s the perfect excuse for Google not to bring Rambler and other new features to older hardware. It’s not that much of a stretch, as we saw the company do the same thing last year with the Tensor G5 and Magic Cue.

Magic Cue wasn’t initially slated for older devices not powered by a Tensor G5, which was especially frustrating, given that we were sold on the promise that Tensor was built for AI. If Google’s own custom SoC couldn’t handle the company’s latest and greatest features less than a year later, what was the point of me spending all that money?

Unfortunately, this isn’t a strategy that’s exclusive to Google, and it’s going to become more prevalent as companies desperately search for ways to get you to upgrade.