Google recently announced that it has begun producing the Pixel 8 in India. With the Pixel 9 series now unveiled, many have speculated whether these devices will also be made in India—the short answer is no, at least for now. Instead, Google is ramping up its smartphone production efforts in India, starting with the Pixel 8 and soon expanding to the Pixel 8A, but not the Pixel 8 Pro. The Pixel 8A, which was launched in May, will soon enter production in Indian factories, as confirmed by Google executives in closed-door briefings attended by BW Businessworld. Eventually, Google aims to manufacture the Pixel 9 series in India as well but that will likely not happen in 2024.
This production strategy mirrors Apple's approach in India. For example, last year, the base iPhone 15 models were produced in India, followed by the iPhone 15 Plus. This year, for the first time, Apple plans to manufacture the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max in India.
However, Google is still in the early stages of its localisation journey in India, and it will take time to scale up production. Its global manufacturing partner Compal is tied up with local manufacturing player Dixon Technologies. The success of this expansion will largely depend on how well Google’s products are received in the Indian market. According to IDC, Google currently holds just 0.5 per cent of the Indian smartphone market. However, from 2022 to 2023, Google tripled its sales, selling 665,000 Pixel smartphones in 2023, with 65 per cent of those being Pixel A series devices.
To enhance after-sales service, Google partnered with F1 Solutions last year to expand its Pixel service capabilities. This year, Google has launched its own walk-in service centers, with locations already open in Delhi and Bangalore, and another set to open soon in Mumbai.
Additionally, Google has partnered with Reliance Digital and Croma to sell its new Pixel 9 phones offline, complementing its existing online partnership with Flipkart.
Navekendra Singh, Associate Vice President at IDC, emphasised the importance of this strategy, stating, “Only online and limited offline presence is not a viable long-term strategy in India, where consumers still feel the need to touch and feel the devices, especially in the premium segment. Google has to make inroads in the offline channel to appeal to Samsung A series and S series consumers in the premium retail stores in the top 20-30 cities of India. Hence the need to extend reach beyond Flipkart.”