During the Google for India 2023 event in Delhi today, Google made a significant announcement regarding the production of Pixel smartphones in India. The inaugural device to be manufactured in India by Google will be the Pixel 8, with production slated to commence in 2024. In this endeavor, the tech giant plans to collaborate with both international and domestic manufacturers to locally produce Pixel smartphones.
Rick Osterloh, the Senior Vice President of Devices and Services at Google, expressed, “India is a priority market for Pixel smartphones, and we’re committed to bringing the best of our hardware and underlying built-in software capabilities to people across the country.”
The Arrival of Locally Manufactured Pixel Smartphones in 2024
Previously, reports indicated that Google was in discussions with manufacturers such as Lava, Dixon Technologies, and Bharat FIH to produce Pixel smartphones in India. However, during today’s event, Google did not disclose which of these companies would be responsible for manufacturing Pixel smartphones in the country. Furthermore, Google has not revealed any details concerning the manufacturing capacity or the location of the manufacturing facility.
In a related development, Google recently partnered with HP earlier this month to manufacture Chromebooks locally in India. Both HP and Google emphasized that this collaboration reaffirms their commitment to the Indian government’s “Make in India” initiative. The new Chromebooks will be produced by HP at its Chennai facility, where the brand has been manufacturing a variety of laptops and desktops since 2020.
As mentioned earlier, the initial smartphone that Google plans to produce in India is the Pixel 8. For context, the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro were introduced in the Indian market earlier this month. The Pixel 8 is priced starting at Rs 75,999, while the Pixel 8 Pro is available at Rs 1,06,999. Both devices are equipped with the Tensor G3 chipset and feature OLED displays. They also incorporate in-display fingerprint sensors for security.
The Google Pixel 8 boasts a 50MP dual-camera setup, while the Pixel 8 Pro features a 50MP triple-camera configuration. These smartphones come with Android 14 pre-installed and sport a 10.5MP selfie camera. The Pro model supports 30W fast charging, while the standard model offers 27W fast charging.
The potential impact on pricing remains uncertain as Google’s “Make in India” initiative for the Pixel 8 gains momentum.