I'm more excited about smartphone colors than any actual new features in 2026 - Engadget

The best thing about the upcoming hardware season might just be colors. Want a good sign that smartphones have truly entered the iterative era? I feel like the most exciting thing about the new Pixel 11 series are the colors — and that feeling may extend to the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and the rest of this year's fall hardware season, as well. That's not to knock the Pixel 11. Price bumps aside, the Pixel series continues to be one of the best Android options on the market. And, at least in my opinion, the last few Pixels have been among the best-looking phones you can buy. Obviously, most smartphones are just big screens, but Google's design aesthetic hits the spot for me. They've always felt well-constructed and pleasant to hold and they've historically had fun colors, as well. The Pixel 10's indigo blue and 10 Pro's "lemongrass" shades felt distinctive and unique last year, with the former a nice nod to the original Pixel's "really blue" color. This year, though, Google went for an even more bold palette. The Pixel 11 Pro comes in a lovely light orange or peach hue (Google calls it "canyon") with a gold polished aluminum frame and gold accents around the camera "pill." Even more s