Google has announced that it will start making its Pixel smartphones in India, joining the ‘Make in India’ initiative that aims to boost the country’s manufacturing sector. The company said that the first batch of locally made Pixel devices will be available in 2024.

google pixel made in india wazzuptechph.com — *image credit: google*

Google’s Senior Vice President of Devices and Services, Rick Osterloh, revealed the plan at the Google for India 2023 event on Thursday. He said that Google is partnering with international and domestic manufacturers to produce Pixel smartphones locally. He did not disclose the names of the partners or the location of the manufacturing facilities.

Osterloh said that India is a priority market for Pixel smartphones and that the company is also improving its customer service experience in the country. He said that Google has 28 service centers across 27 cities in India, thanks to its partner F1 Info Solutions.

“From the very onset of our hardware business, we committed to building and investing for the long run. This is an early step in a long journey of expanding our device production capacity and helping meet the country’s growing demand for Pixel smartphones,” he said.

Google launched its latest Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro smartphones earlier this month, featuring a custom-made Tensor chip, a 120Hz OLED display, a 50MP main camera, and Android 12. The devices are expected to go on sale in India next month, starting at Rs. 59,999.

Google’s move to make Pixel phones in India follows its recent partnership with HP to manufacture Chromebook laptops in the country. The company said that it aims to support the ‘Make in India’ initiative, which offers various incentives and benefits to attract global companies to set up manufacturing operations in India.

Google is not the only tech giant to manufacture smartphones in India. Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus, and others already have local production units in the country, catering to both domestic and export markets. According to a recent report by Counterpoint Research, India’s smartphone shipments grew by 82% year-on-year in Q2 2023, reaching 33 million units.