Anika Begay
Google has announced the launch of locally manufactured Pixel 8 devices in India, nearly 10 months after revealing its domestic manufacturing plans for the devices and ahead of the expected unveiling of the Pixel 9 later this week.
The Android maker confirmed to TechCrunch that local production is currently limited to the Pixel 8 and does not include the Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel 8a.
In October, Google announced plans to assemble its Pixel smartphone range in India to expand its presence in the Indian smartphone market, the world’s second-largest after China, and to capitalize on India’s growing manufacturing presence.
Google followed up on the news on Monday, saying that the first batch of made-in-India Pixel 8 devices have started rolling off the production lines.
Google has not yet revealed its local manufacturing partners. However, sources have confirmed to TechCrunch that Google’s global manufacturing partner Compal has initially partnered with Dixon Technologies in India to assemble Pixel 8 models locally in the country. Dixon MD Atul B Lall also confirmed his partnership with Compal during the July earnings call, without revealing any further details.
New Delhi has pushed global electronics brands to manufacture devices locally in India to compete with China and other manufacturing hubs around the world. The Indian government has earmarked billions of dollars in incentives to offer rebates and subsidies to companies that go the local route.
As much as 99.2 per cent of the domestic demand for mobile phones has already been met by locally manufactured devices, according to the industry statement shared by Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasad in the Indian Parliament last week. The country has seen a whopping 8,138 per cent increase in local mobile phone production to $50 billion in the financial year 2023-24, from $2.25 billion in 2014-15. Similarly, exports of locally manufactured mobile phones have grown to $15.37 billion in 2023-24, from $186.54 million in 2014-15.
Apart from Google, Apple and Samsung manufacture their devices in India, which they sell locally and export to various emerging markets. Chinese companies, including Xiaomi and Oppo, also have domestic production in the country to meet local demand. However, the export share of these companies has not been significant so far.
Google will host its hardware event on Tuesday, where it is expected to unveil the Pixel 9 series, Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and Pixel Watch 3. The company will also likely talk about its Gemini AI updates specifically for mobile devices.
