Google may start Pixel 11 pre-orders way sooner than expected

Aug 3, 2026 — 5:18 PM ET

• Countdown clocks for Pixel 11 series pre-orders have popped up on Best Buy and the Google Store.
• The clocks indicate that you may be able to pre-order before the launch event.
• The countdown will end on August 12 at 10:00 AM ET, and the launch will happen on August 12 at 6:00 PM ET.

We’re only a little over a week away from Google’s hardware showcase, where it will debut the Pixel 11 series. If you were planning on putting an order down for one of the new Pixel phones, you may be able to do it a little sooner than expected.

Countdown clocks have appeared on both the Google Store and Best Buy. Unsurprisingly, these clocks are counting down to the time when you’ll be able to place pre-orders on the company’s new products. However, the time left on the clocks suggests something unexpected.

Normally, smartphone brands will start allowing pre-orders of their new products after the launch event. But it seems Google will buck that trend this year. The countdown clocks suggest that pre-orders will open up before the Made by Google event. Not only does it seem that pre-orders will be open early, but they’ll be open multiple hours before the show.

The company scheduled the Made by Google showcase for August 12 at 6:00 PM ET. These countdowns will reach their end by August 12 at 10:00 AM ET. So there will be plenty of time to place your pre-order and then tune into the show.

Google did something similar last year, spilling the beans about the Pixel 10 series about an hour before the launch. However, the gap between the pre-order start time and the show may be much larger this year.