Google sees India as a prime market with significant potential in the premium smartphone segment, according to a senior company official. Speaking at the Made By Google event, Nanda Ramachandran, Vice President of Google’s Mobile Business, highlighted India’s rapid growth and said the country’s premium smartphone market is expected to surpass many of it’s other key markets.
“India is a rapidly growing market, and we believe that the premium smartphone sector here will outpace most of our major markets. We aim to be a strong player in this space,” Ramachandran told PTI. He emphasized that it’s success in India depends on tailoring its product offerings to meet local demands.
It’s commitment to India is underscored by the recent announcement that its Pixel 8 smartphones will be manufactured in the country. “We’re thrilled to announce that the first Made in India Google Pixel 8 devices are rolling off the production lines,” the company shared on X (formerly Twitter), thanking Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for the partnership.
Maggie Wei, Senior Director of Product Operations at Google, mentioned that while the company sees potential in exporting devices made in India, there are no concrete plans for exports yet. “We see great potential for local production, but for now, it is primarily focused on the local market,” Wei said, noting that Google’s manufacturing facilities are located in Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.
On Tuesday, Google also unveiled its new Pixel 9 series, marking its entry into the foldable phone market, along with the launch of the Pixel Watch 3 and Pixel Buds Pro 2. To increase accessibility for Indian consumers, it is expanding its retail presence, with Pixel products now available in over 150 Croma and Reliance Retail stores across 15 cities.
Additionally, Google announced the opening of three company-owned walk-in centers in Delhi, Bengaluru, and Mumbai, in collaboration with Flipkart’s service arm, F1 Info Solutions and Services Private Limited. The company also revealed a price reduction for its earlier Pixel smartphone models.
