Over the last few years, major smartphone brands like Xiaomi and Apple have set up their manufacturing units in India, which has positively impacted their retail network, product availability, and pricing. Following the footsteps of major players in the industry, Google has announced its plan to make the Pixel phones in the country, starting with the Pixel 8 series that came out earlier this month.
Google To Manufacture Pixel 8 In India
On Thursday, Google announced that it will start manufacturing its Pixel phones in India, starting from the latest Pixel 8. The company announced its vision of putting together the Tensor-powered Pixel phones at the Google for India 2023 event. This marks a major paradigm shift for the company, as previously, the Cupertino-based tech giant relied on Southern China and, lately, on Vietnam to produce smartphones.
Will This Affect The Price Of Pixel Phones In The Country?
The company’s senior vice president for devices and services, Rick Osterloh, revealed plans to partner with domestic manufacturers to make the Pixel phones locally in India. This would not only improve the availability of the phones in the country, it could also drop the prices, as it eliminates the import duties. The current flagships, Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are the company’s most premium smartphones yet, with a hefty price tag.
Google Could Also Set Foot In The Offline Retail Sector
However, Google didn’t discuss price drops in the event, so readers should take this information with a pinch of salt. Nonetheless, once Google starts manufacturing the Pixel phones in India, it could also partner with offline retailers, a market that remains unexplored for the company. During the event, Google also affirmed India as one of its priority markets. In the future, Indian customers should expect to see more products and lineups coming to the country.
The Indian Pixel 8 units should be available to purchase in 2024. Further, the company’s plans for the country also include better product experiences through AI, expanding the reach of formal credit to merchants and consumers via Google Pay. Google Cloud is also collaborating with Bhashini within the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in the country to launch a Center of Excellence on Generative AI and Language Inclusivity.
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