YesGoogle has been producing smartphones under the Google Pixel brand since October 2016. Even before the Pixel line of phones, under the leadership of former Motorola president Rick Osterloh, Google announced Its first smart speaker, the Google Home, at Google I/O in May 2016. Its hardware strategy thereafter became inconsistent, with the company often experimenting and lacking a coherent approach.
In India, Google hasn’t found much success. In 2019, the tech giant decided not to launch the Pixel 4, releasing only the Pixel 3A in May that year. The company has faced a host of problems in the country, ranging from inept after-sales support to software gremlins, slow updates on some phones, poor product decisions and overly bold moves.
The Pixel 6, launched in the US in 2021, marks a significant advancement in Google’s hardware technology. For the first time since the inception of the Google Pixel, Google released a reliable flagship phone that didn’t have any major issues. The Pixel 6 was also the first device powered by Google’s own chipset, following Apple’s strategy. But the tech company refused to launch the smartphone in India.
India’s focus was again in 2022 when Google launched the successful mid-range Pixel 6a. Its success led to the release of Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro in India a few months later. as I note in my column those days.
Google had built a reliable flagship phone, but it needed to improve after-sales support to compete with the best in the business. The Pixel had long appealed mainly to tech enthusiasts like me.
however, Google I/O 2023 demonstrated the company’s commitment to hardware and its efforts to transform the Pixel from a quirky, enthusiast-oriented product line into something more mainstream. The three devices launched at this year’s edition — the Pixel 7a, the Pixel Fold, and the Pixel Tablet — showcased the progress Google has made.
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Achilles heel still hurts
pixel 7a is a fantastic A device that offers fast performance, great cameras, decent performance, and solid battery life. Priced at Rs 43,999, it features a similar design to the Pixel 7 and sports features like IP67 water and dust resistance and stereo speakers. Due to its 6.1-inch screen, it is probably the best compact smartphone in India right now; Even better and cheaper than the Samsung Galaxy S23. While it may even rank above the OnePlus 11R and Vivo V27 Pro, the Pixel 7’s sore heel remains its poor sales support.
Google began addressing this issue in 2023 by partnering with F1 Info Solutions & Services, which also works with Apple. Google now has 28 after-sales facilities across 27 Indian cities, a significant upgrade from just one service center in Mumbai. However, these service centers cannot resolve major issues, and many customers and technical experts remain worried.
Past issues with Pixel devices have left potential buyers concerned about after-sales support. Even with the Pixel 7 series, Google took a long time to roll out software updates enabling 5G services for Indian operators. Users started enjoying 5G just a few months back, later than even the iPhone, which enabled 5G in December 2022.
Google is moving cautiously in the right direction – it knows it lacks the marketing, sales and after-sales infrastructure to sell Pixel devices in India or anywhere outside the US.
Read also: The OnePlus Pad could revitalize Android’s affordable tablet ecosystem. Google must catch up now
Tough competition from Samsung, Apple
The Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet showcased at Google I/O 2023 are not coming to India. Google knows that given the state of its after-sales support infrastructure in India, it cannot sell a foldable device that is likely to cost more than Rs 1,50,000. It will have to compete with Samsung, the country’s largest smartphone vendor and the inventor of foldable phones, and Apple, the biggest player in the premium price segment. In fact, even in the US, Google is throwing in the Pixel Watch as a part of the package to sweeten the deal.
Priced at $1,700, the Pixel Fold is an impressive piece of equipment. Equipped with the same Tensor G2 processor as the Pixel 7a and Pixel 7 series, it features a new type of hinge that allows the phone to lay flat, close satisfactorily, and adopt a tent mode. Its outer screen is pleasantly wide, making it highly usable and reminiscent of a mini Moleskine notebook. The device also features the famous Pixel cameras, which Google claims are the best on a foldable phone till date.
some progress
Over the years, Google has invested heavily in optimizing Android for large-screen devices, an area where it had been lacking since launching Android Honeycomb in 2011. Progress is finally being seen in user interface and app development, a topic I discussed in my column on oneplus pad,
This extensive customization work has also benefited the Pixel tablet, which was first teased last year. The Pixel tablet doesn’t aspire to be an iPad competitor; Instead, it creates its own space. Unlike the iPad, which Apple announced will get professional-standard apps like Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro, the Pixel tablet doesn’t focus on productivity, but is a content consumption device for browsing the web, watching movies and playing music. . There will be no keyboard accessory but the package will include an innovative speaker dock. When docked, the device functions similarly to the Nest Hub or the Amazon Echo Show. The Pixel tablet has the same Tensor G2 chip, ample RAM and an 11-inch LCD screen, all available in the US for less than $500.
Google is making strides in the hardware field. Its devices are compelling, but the company is still about five years behind Apple in India in terms of sales, after-sales and marketing organization. Google needs to maintain its current trajectory.
Sahil Mohan Gupta is Editor, Technology, Acko Drive. Thoughts are personal.
(Edited by Hamra Like)