In Short:
Google sees India as a key market for premium smartphones, expecting significant growth there. Vice President Nanda Ramachandran emphasized the importance of tailoring products for local needs. Google recently launched its Made-in-India Pixel 8 phones and plans to expand retail presence, including partnerships with Croma and Reliance stores. The company is also considering exporting devices made in India.
Google recognizes India as a significant market with substantial growth potential, particularly in the premium smartphones sector. This assessment was made by Nanda Ramachandran, Vice President of Google Mobile Business, during the recent Made By Google event.
Growth Prospects in India
Ramachandran characterized India as a “fantastic growing market,” suggesting that the country’s premium smartphone segment is set to outperform many of Google’s other key markets. “India is a fantastic growing market, and we believe that the premium smartphone market in India will exceed pretty much any top markets that we play in, and we want to be a strong player in that market,” he stated.
Commitment to Local Needs
Further articulating Google’s commitment, he emphasized the importance of optimizing the product portfolio to cater to local consumer demands. “India is one of the most exciting countries in our footprint right now, and we are fully committed. For us to succeed in India, the first thing we have to take care of is our portfolio,” Ramachandran remarked.
Made-in-India Initiatives
The relevance of these comments was underscored earlier this week when Google announced the launch of its Made-in-India Pixel 8 smartphones. The company expressed enthusiasm about the production of these devices, stating via the micro-blogging platform X: “Excited to announce that the first of our Made in India Google #Pixel8 devices have started rolling off the production lines. Grateful for the partnership with Hon’ble Minister @AshwiniVaishnaw as we look forward to bringing the #TeamPixel experience to people across India.”
Local Production and Export Plans
Maggie Wei, Senior Director of Product Operations at Google, indicated that while there is potential for exporting devices manufactured in India, there are currently no definitive plans. “We see great potential for local production, but we don’t want to limit the production only for the local market… Right now, it is more for local because we have just started,” Wei explained. The company is manufacturing devices at its facilities located in Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, which she described as “two very exciting locations.”
Launch of New Products
In conjunction with these developments, Google launched its new Pixel 9 series, marking the firm’s entry into the foldable smartphone market. Additionally, the company unveiled the Pixel Watch 3 and Pixel Buds Pro 2.
Expansion of Retail Presence
To enhance accessibility for Indian consumers, Google is expanding its retail approach. Pixel products are now available in over 150 Croma and Reliance Retail stores across 15 cities in India. Furthermore, the company announced the opening of three Google-owned walk-in centers in Delhi, Bengaluru, and Mumbai, in collaboration with Flipkart’s service arm, F1 Info Solutions and Services Private Limited.
Pricing Strategy
In an effort to attract more consumers, Google has also announced price reductions for its earlier generation of Pixel smartphones.
