Tech giant Google said on Thursday that it will start the manufacture of the latest Pixel series of premium smartphones in India. Production of Pixel 8 will start very soon, said Google.

The first of the India-made devices are expected be to rolled out in 2024, and the company is partnering with international and domestic manufacturers to produce Pixel smartphones locally, said a top official.

“When we set out with our hardware business, we committed to building and investing for the long run, and our plan to manufacture in India is an early step in the long journey of expanding our device production capacity and helping meet the country’s growing demand for Pixel smartphones,” said Rick Osterloh, Senior Vice-President of Devices and Services, Google, at the Google for India event here.

Also read: Local value addition in ‘Made in India’ smartphones climbs 16% in 2023

He acknowledged India being a priority for Pixel smartphones, noting the significant momentum for Pixel in the country over the past several years. This announcement is an early step on Google’s journey toward expanding its device production capacity and helping meet the country’s growing demand for Pixel.

Also read: Google takes on Apple with new Pixel that’s more like the iPhone

“We’re humbled at how India has embraced our consistent smartphone innovations, and continue to receive heartening feedback from our partners and our growing Team Pixel family. We look forward to sharing more details in the coming months,” Osterloh, said.

Also read: Google considers making some Pixel phones in India: report

Meanwhile, Google has continued to enhance the Pixel smartphone experience, and has grown the Pixel service network across the nation. In partnership with F1 Info Solutions, Google now has 28 service centres in 27 cities across India, and will continue to expand coverage to more locations and cities in the months ahead.

In recent years, India has established itself as a truly world-class hub for manufacturing, resulting in a thriving environment for businesses to flourish, the company added.

comment COMMENT NOW