Pixel 11 series, Honor Robot Phone, Redmi 17 official, Week 33 in review

The tech industry witnessed a flurry of major announcements and releases this past week, setting the stage for an exciting season of innovation. Among the most anticipated reveals was Google’s unveiling of its new Pixel 11 series, accompanied by the Pixel Watch 5.

The latest lineup of Google smartphones, encompassing the Pixel 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro XL, and the groundbreaking 11 Pro Fold, all integrate the new Tensor G6 SoC. This advanced processor, contrary to earlier speculation of a 2nm process, is confirmed to utilize a 3nm manufacturing process. While maintaining much of the successful architecture from their predecessors, these new Pixel phones introduce incremental yet impactful enhancements. The standard Pixel 11 Pro retains a 6.3-inch display, while the Pro XL expands to a brighter 6.8-inch screen. Camera capabilities across the 11 Pro and 11 Pro XL remain largely consistent, featuring a powerful 50MP 1/1.3-inch wide-angle lens, a 48MP ultrawide camera (with slight variations in sensor size between 1/2.51-inch and 1/2.55-inch), a 48MP 5x zoom lens (boasting a slightly larger 1/1.95-inch sensor compared to the 1/2.55-inch), and a robust 42MP selfie camera. The vanilla Pixel 11 distinguishes itself with a larger-sensor main camera, now at 1/1.56-inch, an upgrade from the previous 1/2.0-inch, while the rest of its specifications largely mirror the prior generation. Interestingly, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold also benefits from an improved main camera sensor but experiences a marginal reduction in battery capacity, from 5,015mAh to 4,806mAh.

Pricing for the European market sees the Pixel 11 Pro starting at €1,199 and the Pixel 11 Pro XL at €1,399, with both models offering 256GB of storage as a baseline. Pre-orders are currently open, with general sales commencing on August 20. In the US, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is priced at $1,899, though its availability in Europe is more restricted. The standard Pixel 11 will also be available for purchase from August 20, with a starting price of $899.

Adding to the week’s technological marvels, Honor officially launched its Robot Phone in China. This innovative device boasts a groundbreaking motorized 4-DoF (degrees of freedom) titanium gimbal that elegantly deploys from the rear. This advanced gimbal system houses a formidable 200MP 1/1.28-inch f/1.6 main camera, capable of automatic panning and tilting for superior stabilization and AI-powered subject tracking. Complementing this, the Robot Phone features a 200MP 2.7x periscope telephoto lens and a 50MP ultrawide camera. Honor’s collaboration with ARRI further elevates the imaging capabilities, integrating 10-bit ARRI LogC3 recording, ARRI Wide Gamut 3, and ARRI Looks for professional-grade video. Beyond its impressive camera system, the device is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor and features a vibrant 6.31-inch 1-120Hz LTPO OLED display, all fueled by a substantial 7,060mAh battery. The Honor Robot Phone is available in China starting at CNY 9,999 for the 12GB/512GB configuration, with the 16GB/1TB model priced at CNY 12,999. Sales in China began on August 18, and international release details are yet to be announced.

Xiaomi also made headlines with the earlier-than-expected official release of its Redmi 17 5G and Redmi 17 4G models. These devices aim to deliver large displays and impressive battery life at an accessible price point within Xiaomi’s diverse portfolio. The Redmi 17 5G is equipped with the Snapdragon 6s Gen 4, while the 4G variant utilizes the Helio G200 Ultra. Both versions feature expansive 6.9-inch 144Hz LCDs, a 50MP main camera, convenient side-mounted fingerprint readers, and IP64 protection. The 5G model packs a robust 7,000mAh battery with 33W charging, while the 4G version surprisingly offers an even larger 7,000mAh cell with the same charging speed. Both phones ship with HyperOS 3, built upon Android 16. The Redmi 17 5G starts at €249, and the Redmi 17 4G begins at €199, with availability expanding across various European markets.

Meanwhile, Sony has reported strong sales for its Xperia 1 VIII, with a notable demand for higher-storage configurations and the new gold color option. Sony attributes this success to the phone’s advanced camera system and emphasizes the continued importance of features like the microSD card slot and 3.5mm headphone jack, which they consider “integral” to the Xperia identity.

In other Xiaomi news, the company unveiled HyperOS 4, an updated operating system based on Android 17. The new UI is characterized by its heavy use of translucent, glass-like elements and offers enhanced customization options for the lock screen, allowing users to personalize clock and notification arrangements. It also introduces features like resizable folders and group widgets. HyperOS 4 boasts intelligent AI utilization, predicting necessary resources and preloading them into RAM for seamless user interaction. The new UI is designed to switch effortlessly between portrait and landscape applications, even rotating floating apps to match the orientation. The rollout of HyperOS 4 is anticipated to begin with Xiaomi’s newest devices, aligning with previous reports of a Summer 2026 release.

Finally, Xiaomi also announced the Redmi K100 Pro and K100 Pro Max in China, both showcasing flagship-level hardware. These devices are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 platform and feature impressive 185Hz OLED displays. The K100 Pro sports a 6.59-inch screen, an 8,580mAh battery with 100W wired and 50W wireless charging. The Pro Max elevates the experience with a larger 6.9-inch display and an enormous 9,070mAh battery, maintaining the same rapid charging speeds. Both variants are equipped with a 200MP OIS main camera, but the Pro Max distinguishes itself with more advanced secondary cameras, featuring a 50MP 5x periscope and a 50MP ultrawide lens, in contrast to the Pro’s 50MP telephoto and 8MP ultrawide setup. Both models offer up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, along with IP66/IP68/IP69 protection and HyperOS. The Redmi K100 Pro starts at CNY 3,699, while the K100 Pro Max begins at CNY 4,499 for their 12GB/256GB configurations. These devices are currently exclusive to China, though reports suggest they could eventually reach international markets under the Poco F9 Pro and F9 Ultra branding.