Tech behemoth Google is set to begin producing Pixel smartphones in India shortly, as part of a significant push for the ‘Make in India’ initiative. Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google, revealed intentions that the initial gadgets are scheduled to launch in 2024, he declared on the microblogging platform X.
“At #GoogleforIndia, we revealed our ambitions to produce Pixel smartphones locally. The first models should be available in 2024. We value your support for Made in India and are dedicated to being a reliable partner in India’s digital development,” he wrote in the post, tagging Ashwini Vaishnaw, the minister of electronics and information technology, and the office of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“We also introduced a more visual + local generative AI experience on Search to help surface AI-powered overviews on essential government programs, new Search features for small businesses, easier access to formal credit via Google Pay + more,” added Pichai in another post.
This occurs a few days after the Prime Minister of India praised Google and Hewlett Packard’s (HP) collaboration to produce Chromebooks locally. On Monday, October 16, Modi had a virtual conversation with Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Alphabet, during which they talked about Google’s intention to increase its electronics production in India.
Senior vice president of devices and services Rick Osterloh announced during a Google for India event that Google will work with both local and foreign manufacturers to produce these smartphones in India.
The places chosen for the industry have not been made public yet. In Hyderabad, outside of its Mountain View headquarters, Google is constructing its largest campus. There is space on campus for 18,000 people. Some who commented on Pichai’s article expressed the hope that, in addition to its largest office, the new production facility will be also located in Hyderabad.
The Union Minister for electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw called the Google’s decision a “very big achievement” while speaking to ANI.
Google has not yet disclosed the partners but it has confirmed teaming up with both domestic and international brands for the project.
Google’s flagship Pixel 8 smartphone has just released. There are two models in the series: a base and a pro. The company plans to start producing Pixel phones in India in 2024, with the first model, the Pixel 8, going on sale.
Google is reportedly in discussions to produce Pixel phones in India with Lava International Ltd., Dixon Technologies India Ltd., and Foxconn Technology Group’s Indian subsidiary, Bharat FIH. A few months ago, the IT minister also had a meeting with Sundar Pichai in the Mountain View, California, headquarters of the corporation, during which he discussed government-sponsored local manufacturing in India.
“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,” Osterloh said in a statement.
Google Pay, a well-known payment service, is already widely used by Indians. Additionally, Google announced that it will collaborate with DMI Finance, an Indian non-bank lender, to obtain small loans for retailers, with a starting point of 15,000 rupees ($180).
“Since introducing our initial Pixel phones in India, we have received positive feedback. We declared that we will begin producing Pixel smartphones in India in order to increase their availability throughout the nation. We want to begin production of Pixel smartphones locally with the Pixel 8, and we will collaborate with both domestic and foreign manufacturers. We anticipate that these will begin to roll out in 2024,” stated Sanjay Gupta, vice-president and country head of Google India, who posted on a blog the major statements the company made at the Google for India 2023 event in New Delhi.
According to Gupta, teams in India and other countries have not stopped working to provide an online experience that is more inclusive and helpful. In order to realize the vision of “Digital India,” the organization is striving to accommodate the variety of regional languages spoken in the nation, develop technologies to improve interactions between retailers and customers, and harness the strength of India’s indigenous Digital Public infrastructure.
Google also releases important information about leveraging AI to improve its products, formal credit expansion, and citizen-focused services. AI-powered summaries of more than 100 important government initiatives pertaining to work, housing, healthcare, agriculture, women’s welfare, and other topics will soon be made available. In order to help small businesses appear better in search results with a more visually appealing, pertinent, and readily filterable product feed, we will also be rolling out search functionality. He said, “And they’ll be able to easily create high-quality catalogs of their products to deliver richer shopping experiences thanks to the power of generative AI.”
The inclusive and multilingual super-app “a” has been launched, according to a joint announcement from Google Cloud and consumer data intelligence provider Axis My India. Its goal is to increase public knowledge of and accessibility to government social welfare programs, everyday necessities, job possibilities, and healthcare benefits. Moreover, Google and the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) announced their collaboration to support agricultural producer organizations in effectively and conveniently selling their produce online.
Businesses are competing to diversify their supply chains everywhere in the world. India has the potential to be a significant growth engine for Google.
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