Google rolls out made-in-India Pixel 8 ahead of Pixel 9 launch

Google has officially begun rolling out its locally manufactured Pixel 8 devices in India, nearly 10 months after announcing plans to produce the devices domestically.

This move comes just ahead of the anticipated unveiling of the Pixel 9 series later this week.

The local production is currently limited to the Pixel 8 model, excluding the Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel 8a, as confirmed by Google.

In October, Google revealed its intention to assemble Pixel smartphones in India to strengthen its position in the Indian market—the world’s second-largest after China—and capitalize on India’s growing manufacturing capabilities.

On Monday, Google announced that the first batch of Made-in-India Pixel 8 devices had begun production, though the company has not disclosed its local manufacturing partners.

Excited to announce that the first of our Made in India Google #Pixel8 devices have started rolling off the production lines 🥹

Grateful for the partnership with Hon’ble Minister @AshwiniVaishnaw as we look forward to bringing the #TeamPixel experience to people across India 🤝 pic.twitter.com/6nKvvcyFkj

— Google India (@GoogleIndia) August 12, 2024

Sources indicate that Google’s global partner, Compal, has partnered with India’s Dixon Technologies to assemble the Pixel 8 locally. Dixon’s MD, Atul B Lall, confirmed this collaboration during an earnings call in July, but details remain limited.

India’s government has been urging global electronics companies to produce devices locally, offering billions in incentives to encourage this shift.

The country now meets 99.2% of its mobile phone demand with locally manufactured devices, with local production surging to $50 billion in 2023-24, a significant increase from $2.25 billion in 2014-15.

Exports of locally made mobile phones have also grown, reaching $15.37 billion in 2023-24.

Google joins Apple, Samsung, and Chinese companies like Xiaomi and Oppo, which also manufacture devices in India for local sales and export.

However, the export share for these companies has yet to see significant growth. Google is expected to unveil the Pixel 9 series and other new products at its upcoming hardware event on Tuesday.