[Digital Today reporter Jinju Hong (홍진주)] Google raised the price of its newly unveiled Pixel 11 series by $100, about 140,000 won, from the previous model. It also reduced RAM on the base Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL.

According to IT outlet Engadget on Tuesday local time, Google raised smartphone prices this year to reflect higher component costs for RAM and storage. It also adjusted the base memory configuration on some Pro models.

The newly unveiled Pixel 11 lineup has starting prices that are all $100 higher than comparable Pixel 10 models. The Pixel Watch 5 is also $50 more expensive than the previous model. Google pointed to hardware improvements such as a new chipset, a brighter display and a wider camera, but there was a clear change in memory configuration.

The most noticeable point is that storage and RAM moved in opposite directions. The Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro increase base storage to 256GB, about double the previous generation. That makes it possible to explain that the effective price gap is smaller on a storage basis. The same logic does not apply directly to the Pro XL and Pro Fold because the previous models already started at 256GB.

Instead, base RAM on the Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL was lowered to 12GB. Equivalent models in the Pixel 9 and Pixel 10 series had 16GB of RAM. Those who want the 16GB configuration must choose a more expensive higher-tier model.

Google cited supply chain issues as the reason for the adjustment. A Google spokesperson said that amid a severe supplier-led RAM shortage, it was necessary to adjust the Pixel 11 price and RAM configuration to maintain customer value as much as possible. It means the sharp rise in RAM and storage prices was reflected across this year's product pricing.

Google said it would address concerns about performance declines through software and chip optimisation. The company said its full-stack approach for Pixel allows it to optimise how on-device models are loaded and run. It added that it can keep hardware lighter, faster and more responsive. It also said that through software and silicon optimisation, this year's 256GB Pro models can be expected to deliver faster and smoother performance than last year's equivalents.

Actual experience may vary depending on usage. For relatively light tasks such as messaging, web browsing and video streaming, users may not feel much difference. For more resource-intensive tasks such as video editing or games, the impact of the RAM reduction may become apparent.

This change is seen as a case of Google rebalancing price and specifications amid rising component costs. Google is also a major player in generative AI. According to the article, the sharp rise in prices of RAM, storage and chips from a year earlier was driven by AI companies securing large quantities of related components to expand data centres. In this situation, Google appears to have responded to cost pressures by raising consumer product prices while lowering base memory on Pro models. A key point will be whether performance optimisation in real user experience can offset the reduced RAM.