Global Android 11 release date confirmed; headed to Pixel smartphones on September 8

Today's "Hey Google Smart Home Summit" did not, contrary to rumours leading up to the event, showcase any new hardware. So, the wait for the company's new "Sabrina" streaming stick and Nest-branded "Prince" smart speaker continues. Instead, Google focused on informing developers about changes, including Android 11.

Google has already moved onto the public beta stage of Android 11, with the company having issued two beta builds to Pixel devices so far. Android 11 packs a bunch of changes from Android 10, including improvements for how notifications are handled, better multimedia controls and a persistent space for controlling smart home equipment. For a full rundown of what is new, we would recommend watching The Verge's video if you have not done so already.

As the screenshot below states, all these features should be headed to Pixel devices as of September 8. You can view the slide at around 18:00 minutes into the video, which we have embedded below. Google stresses that it is launching Android 11 "everywhere" on September 8, so that should be irrespective of region. With that said, it may take OEMs several months to deliver Android 11 to their devices, as has been the case with Android 10 and past versions of Android.