NEW YORK CITY — Google held its Made by Google 2026 event on August 12, 2026, to unveil a new lineup of hardware including the Pixel Watch 5 with Breathing Emergency Detection and health trend monitoring. The company also introduced the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, and Pixel 11 Pro Fold smartphones, alongside the Pixel Tag item tracker and new Gemini-powered features across its devices.

The Pixel Watch 5 features Breathing Emergency Detection, which triggers an emergency call if the watch detects a sustained drop in blood oxygen saturation. Francis Hoe, a product manager on Google's Pixel Watch team, said using a combination of data from the advanced sensors, including a PPG, accelerometer, and barometer, the company had designed an AI-based algorithm running on device to detect a persistent drop in oxygen saturation and then call Emergency Services for users and even share their location. The feature is pending clearance from the FDA in the US but will be available in select European countries at launch.

The smartwatch provides monthly summaries of blood pressure trends and insulin resistance trends, which will roll out in September. Sandeep Waraich, senior director of Wearables at Google, said the company kept investing in heart rate accuracy because large sensor models need a capable raw signal to detect signatures for conditions like insulin resistance and blood pressure trends. Rishi Chandra, vice president for Google Health, added that Google has been collecting opt-in PPG signals from Fitbit users for many years to understand different conditions and match unique signatures to arm cuff predictions.

The 41mm Pixel Watch 5 starts at $399, while the 45mm model starts at $429. Google also offers a Stephen Curry edition of the Pixel Watch 5 for $579. The device features the Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 platform, which Google claims delivers 12% more CPU performance and 50% more RAM than the previous platform. The watch supports up to 40 hours of battery life and includes AI-generated strength training plans that allow users to track reps directly from the device.

Google unveiled the Pixel 11 series powered by the Tensor G6 chip, which the company claims offers 20 percent better power efficiency, 25 percent faster web browsing, and 15 percent faster app loading. The Pixel 11 starts at $899 with 256GB of base storage, as the 128GB option was discontinued. The phone has a camera bar that is more than 40 percent thinner than the previous generation and uses an all-glass surface. It is available in Frost, Hibiscus, Pistachio, and Obsidian colors.

The Pixel 11 Pro starts at $1,099, and the Pixel 11 Pro XL starts at $1,299. These models feature an anti-scratch display coating with more than twice the scratch resistance of the Pixel 10 Pro models and displays that reach up to 3,600 nits of brightness. They are available in Canyon, Fog, Olive, and Obsidian colors, with the Obsidian variant featuring an all-matte finish. The Pixel 11 Pro has a 50-megapixel wide camera sensor, a 48-megapixel telephoto camera sensor, and a 48-megapixel ultra-wide camera sensor.

Google introduced the Pixel Tag item tracker, which connects to Android’s Find Hub network. The oblong device measures 1.1 inches by 1.8 inches, weighs 0.4 ounces, and has an IP67 rating. It uses a CR2032 coin cell battery that lasts for over a year and combines Ultra Wideband with Bluetooth Channel Sounding. The Pixel Tag is priced at $29 individually or $99 for a four-pack and goes on sale on November 11, 2026.

New Gemini-powered features include Rambler, a voice-input feature designed to handle run-on sentences and filler words by summarizing speech to clean up repetitions. Circle to Search can now be accessed directly from the Pixel Camera, and Live Transcribe has expanded to support American Sign Language translation via the Pixel Camera. Gemini can also place calls to businesses on the Pixel 11, with users receiving a transcript of AI-operated calls.

Why It Matters

The introduction of Breathing Emergency Detection on the Pixel Watch 5 aligns with broader industry efforts to use wearable technology for critical health interventions. A study titled Automated cardiac arrest detection and emergency service alerting using device-independent smartwatch technology: proof-of-principle was published in 2025 in Resuscitation, showing the growing role of such devices in emergency response. The Pixel Watch 5 is pending clearance from the FDA in the US for this specific feature, indicating ongoing regulatory scrutiny of automated medical alerts.

Google aims to differentiate its Pixel lineup through AI integration rather than following competitors, according to Rick Osterloh. Sameer Samat, president of Google’s Android ecosystem, emphasized that AI features should focus on practical user benefits and time savings. Isaac Reynolds, who leads the Pixel camera team, noted that advanced camera AI empowers casual users and content creators by automating complex tasks. Accurate raw sensor data remains foundational for advanced health trend detection, as stated by Rishi Chandra and the Fitbit team.

Timeline

On August 12, 2026, Rick Osterloh said that for the last 10 to 15 years, not a lot has changed in how people use laptops and mobile phones. On the same date, Sameer Samat said that if you can give people that time back, five minutes a day, 10 minutes a day, 30 minutes a day, think what you can do with that. Also on August 12, 2026, Francis Hoe said that using a combination of data from advanced sensors, Google designed an AI-based algorithm to detect a persistent drop in oxygen saturation and call Emergency Services. Google unveiled the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, and Pixel 11 Pro Fold smartphones on August 12, 2026.

On August 12, 2026, Osterloh said that Google thinks that is about to change dramatically. He also stated on that date that he thinks obviously Pixel and iPhone are going in very different directions. He said on August 12, 2026, that it has always been at the forefront of Pixel's product strategy to lead with new technologies, and in particular with Gemini and AI. He added on the same date that all these things are unique to Android and Gemini Intelligence.

What's New

A study titled Automated cardiac arrest detection and emergency service alerting using device-independent smartwatch technology: proof-of-principle was published in 2025 in Resuscitation. Later reporting included Osterloh saying that for the last 10 to 15 years, not a lot has changed in how you use laptops and mobile phones. He also said that but we think that's about to change dramatically. He stated that he thinks obviously Pixel and iPhone are going in very different directions.

Additional details emerged that it's always been at the forefront of Pixel's product strategy to lead with new technologies, and in particular with Gemini and AI, according to him. He said that all these things are unique to Android and Gemini Intelligence. Samat said that and if you can give people that time back, five minutes a day, 10 minutes a day, 30 minutes a day, think what you can do with that. Hoe said that using a combination of data from the advanced sensors, including a PPG, accelerometer, and barometer, Google had designed an AI-based algorithm running on device to detect a persistent drop in oxygen saturation and then call Emergency Services for users and even share their location.

How Sources Differ

Sources differ on the Pixel Fold durability claim. One source states the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is the successor to the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, released in 2025, and is three times more durable according to internal testing. Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold product specifications state that Google states the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is three times more durable than its predecessor.

There is a discrepancy regarding the Pixel Fold weight and thickness reduction. One source says the device is 10% lighter and 1mm thinner than its predecessor. Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold product specifications state the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is nearly 10 percent lighter and almost 1mm thinner than the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. Sources also differ on the Pixel Fold back cover material, with one citing a glass-fiber composite back cover and Google specifications confirming the Pixel 11 Pro Fold uses a glass-fiber composite back cover.

Device thinness comparisons vary between models. Google Pixel 11 product specifications note the Pixel 11 has a camera bar that is more than 40 percent thinner than the previous generation. Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold product specifications state the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is nearly 10 percent lighter and almost 1mm thinner than the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. The Pixel Watch breathing detection status also shows a detail gap, with specifications noting the feature exists while context indicates it is pending FDA clearance in the US. Finally, Pixel Fold camera resolution sources both cite a 48-megapixel sensor, one referring to the main camera and the other to the primary camera sensor.