Pixel 11 specs might disappoint, but Google got one crucial detail right

There have been complaints from Pixel fans that the Google Pixel 11 series is lacking in updates. That may be a problem with the cameras or the battery capacity, but I, for one, am glad to see continuity in one particular area: Google’s focus on its magnetic Pixelsnap accessories.

Pixelsnap debuted on the Pixel 10 family last year, and marked Google as the first major phone brand besides Apple to tap into the full potential of Qi2 wireless charging. As someone who’s already deeply involved in the MagSafe ecosystem for my iPhone, I found it delightful to see this on an Android phone. I was concerned that this could end up being a one-year effort, where even if Pixel 11 models were still magnetic, Google wouldn’t do much else. Thankfully, Google proved that fear wrong.

While they didn’t get much attention during the Made by Google showcase, Google’s lineup of Pixelsnap accessories remains — and, importantly, has been updated. There are new cases to fit Google’s four new phones, with options from both Google itself and popular independent case makers like dbrand, Spigen, Mous, Case-Mate and Bellroy all available from launch in a variety of colors. The same goes for the Ring Stand accessory from last year, which is now sold in hues that match the phone’s color options.

That said, the fact that Google’s Pixelsnap Charger Stand, which is just a frame that the standard Pixelsnap puck sits in, no longer color-matches is weird. I like the new Fog color that Google is offering on some of its new phones and peripherals, but I don’t like the two-tone effect it produces with the white stand.

Pixelsnap relies on the Qi2 magnetic wireless charging standard, which has been around since April 2023. Despite the underlying tech being over three years old now, Google remains the only major phone brand other than Apple to properly tackle magnetic accessories.

There’s still HMD, of course, whose 2024 Skyline model was the first Android handset to offer full Qi2 compatibility. Unfortunately, HMD is a small player in most markets. And while some brands like Samsung have made overtures, it’s still not putting in its full effort.

Take the recently launched Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 for example, or the Galaxy S26 series from earlier in the year — both major rivals for the new Pixels. Samsung sells magnetic accessories, but they are only mentioned near the bottom of the phones’ store pages, rather than highlighted near the top as with the Pixel 11 series. And if you want to use a Qi2 charger with one of these new Samsung handsets, you need to buy a case first, since there are no magnets in the phone — nowhere near as convenient as the integrated magnets in the Pixel 11.

While I’m a fan of Pixelsnap, MagSafe, and co., I know there are a number of users who aren’t interested in it or are actively opposed to its inclusion on phones. There are good reasons for this too — the alignment magnets interfere with reverse wireless charging and will add to the phone’s cost, even if only slightly. Plus there will be a small but vocal group of phone geeks who will shout about copying Apple.

But there’s no shame in copying good ideas (provided you’re not infringing patents or anything), and Google understands that. I hope that in a year’s time, when we presumably see the Pixel 12 series, Pixelsnap remains present, if not improved with new and updated accessories. Although given the disappearance of the thermal sensor on the back of Pixel Pro models this year, I wouldn’t put it past Google to dump Pixelsnap in favor of some new gimmick in the hope of grabbing a new set of headlines.

Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.