In a significant development, Google, the tech giant’s parent company, Alphabet, has unveiled its plans to commence the production of Pixel smartphones in India, in collaboration with foreign and domestic manufacturing groups. The manufacturing journey is set to kick off with the highly anticipated Pixel 8 model.
The announcement was made by Rick Osterloh, Senior Vice President of Devices and Services at Google, during a Google event on October 19th. Osterloh expressed, “We expect to launch Pixel phones in India in 2024. India is a pivotal market for Pixel phones, and we are unwavering in our commitment to deliver top-tier hardware. We are harnessing our expertise and unique in-house software capabilities to benefit people across India.”
This move aligns with India’s aspirations to become a prominent manufacturing hub, further bolstering Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Make in India” initiative.
Market research firm Counterpoint suggests that Google’s competitor, Apple, is also intensifying its presence in the Indian market, aiming to expand its business. Notably, smartphone sales in India are projected to account for approximately 7% of the total smartphone sales in the country during the second half of this year, marking a noticeable increase from the 5% share in the first half of 2023.
In a related development, Micron Technology, a leading US memory chip manufacturer, recently announced its intentions to establish its first semiconductor manufacturing facility in India. This marks a significant stride towards bolstering India’s tech manufacturing capabilities and supporting the nation’s vision of self-reliance in the technology sector.