- Google plans to produce Pixel smartphones in India by the second quarter.
- This move is part of Google’s strategy to diversify its supply chains away from China and tap into the smartphone demand in India.
- The shift will support Google’s ambitious target of shipping more than 10 million Pixel phones this year.
- Google will begin manufacturing Pixel 8 Pro phones in the April-June quarter, followed by the production of the Pixel 8 around the middle of 2024.
- Google will be competing with smartphone giants Apple and Samsung in India, as well as Chinese brands vivo and Xiaomi.
- In 2023, India became the fifth smartphone market to exceed 10 million iPhone unit sales in a single year.
- For 2023, India’s smartphone market maintained stability with 148.6 million shipments overall, a minor drop of 2%.
- Samsung maintained pole position in Q4 2023 with a market share of 20% and shipments of 7.6 million units.
- Xiaomi continued its robust performance, claiming second place by shipping 7.2 million units.
- Vivo secured third position with shipments of 7.0 million units.
- Apple has also been shifting production from China to places such as India, as U.S.-China relations remain tense.
- India has been offering incentives to companies for setting up manufacturing operations in the country.
- Dell, HP and Lenovo were among the 27 firms that were granted approval in November to manufacture tech hardware in India under a production-linked incentive scheme.
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