Following Apple’s footsteps, there are indications that Google’s Pixel smartphones may soon join the “Made in India” club. In alignment with the government’s Make in India initiative, Alphabet’s Google is reportedly gearing up to commence manufacturing its flagship Google Pixel smartphones in India within the next quarter, as per a recent report.
The move is part of Google’s broader strategy to dispatch over 10 million Pixel phones from India this year, as revealed by sources familiar with the matter. Production lines for the high-end Pixel 8 Pro models are expected to be established in the upcoming weeks, with phone manufacturing slated to kick off in the April-June quarter.
While specifics regarding the quantity of phones to be produced or their local sale remain unclear in the report, Google had previously committed to such initiatives back in October. At the ninth edition of the Google for India event, it was announced that Pixel phone manufacturing would commence in India shortly.
Rick Osterloh, senior vice president of devices and services at Google, disclosed that the inaugural batch of India-made Google Pixel 8 devices is slated for release in 2024.
Recognizing India as a pivotal market, Google’s move mirrors Apple’s efforts to diversify its supply chain away from China. In addition to Pixel phones, Google initiated manufacturing of its Chromebook laptops in India last October, in collaboration with HP, aiming to enhance access to affordable and secure computing for Indian students. Furthermore, Google expanded the capabilities of its generative AI experiment in Search, known as Search Generative Experience (SGE), in India, now incorporating images and videos.
Apple, on the other hand, made significant strides in local production in India in 2023, surpassing the Rs 1-lakh-crore mark, with a notable surge from the previous year. A significant portion of these iPhones, valued at Rs 65,000 crore, were exported from India between January and December, showcasing Apple’s commitment to local manufacturing and its growing presence in the Indian market.