Google has been producing smartphones under the Google Pixel brand since October 2016. Even before the Pixel line of phones, led by former Motorola president Rick Osterloh, Google announced its first smart speaker, the Google Home in May 2016 at Google I/O. Its hardware strategy became inconsistent after that, with the company often experimenting and lacking a cohesive approach.
In India, Google hasn’t seen much success. In 2019, the tech giant decided not to launch the Pixel 4, having released only the Pixel 3A in May that year. The company has faced numerous issues in the country, ranging from inept after-sales support to software gremlins, including slower updates on some phones, to poor product decisions, and overly bold moves.
The Pixel 6, launched in the US in 2021, marked significant progress in Google’s hardware technology. For the first time, Google released a credible flagship phone with no major issues ever since Google Pixel was founded. The Pixel 6 was also the first device powered by Google’s own chipset, following Apple’s strategy. But the tech company gave India a skip in launching the smartphone.
Attention was rediverted to India in 2022 when Google launched the successful mid-range Pixel 6a. Its success led to the release of the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro in India a few months later. As I noted in my column at the time.
Google had created a credible flagship phone but needed to improve its after-sales support to compete with the best in the business. Pixel had mainly appealed to tech enthusiasts like myself for a long time.
However, Google I/O 2023 demonstrated the company’s commitment to hardware and its efforts to transition Pixel from a quirky, enthusiast-oriented product line to something more mainstream. The three devices launched at this year’s edition – the Pixel 7a, Pixel Fold, and Pixel Tablet – showcased the progress Google has made.
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Achilles heel still hurts
The Pixel 7a is a fantastic device, offering fast performance, excellent cameras, a good display, and solid battery life. Priced at Rs 43,999, it features a design similar to the Pixel 7 and sports features such as IP67 water and dust resistance and stereo speakers. It is also perhaps the best compact smartphone in India right now, thanks to its 6.1-inch screen; even better and cheaper than the Samsung Galaxy S23. While it may rank higher than even the OnePlus 11R and Vivo V27 Pro, Pixel 7’s Achilles heel remains its poor after-sales support.
Google started addressing this issue by partnering with F1 Info Solutions & Services in 2023, which also works with Apple. Google now has 28 after-sales facilities in 27 Indian cities, a significant upgrade from just one service centre in Mumbai. These service centres, though, cannot remedy major issues, and many customers and tech experts remain concerned.
Past issues with Pixel devices have left potential buyers worried about after-sales support. Even with the Pixel 7 series, Google took a long time to deploy software updates enabling 5G services for Indian operators. Users started enjoying 5G only a couple of months ago, later than even the iPhone, which enabled 5G in December 2022.
Google is moving cautiously in the right direction — it knows that it lacks the marketing, sales, and after-sales infrastructure to sell Pixel devices at scale in India or anywhere outside the US.
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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 it can’t sell a foldable device that is likely to cost upwards of Rs 1,50,000 yet, given the state of its after-sales support infrastructure in India. It would have to compete with Samsung, the largest smartphone seller in the country and the inventor of foldable phones — and also 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. Equipped with the same Tensor G2 processor as the Pixel 7a and Pixel 7 series, it introduces a new type of hinge that allows the phone to lay flat, close satisfyingly, 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 incorporates the renowned Pixel cameras, which Google claims are the best on a foldable phone to date.
Some progress
Over the years, Google has invested significantly into optimising Android for large-screen devices, an area where it had been lacking since launching Android Honeycomb back in 2011. Progress is finally visible in the user interface and app development, a topic I discussed in my column on the OnePlus Pad.
This extensive optimisation work has also benefited the Pixel Tablet, first teased last year. The Pixel Tablet doesn’t aspire to be an iPad competitor; instead, it carves its own niche. Unlike the iPad, which Apple announced would be receiving 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. It wouldn’t be accompanied by a keyboard accessory but include an innovative speaker dock in the package. When docked, the device functions similarly to a Nest Hub or an Amazon Echo Show. The Pixel Tablet features the same Tensor G2 chip, ample RAM, and an 11-inch LCD screen, all for less than $500 in the US.
Google is making strides in the hardware field. Its devices are compelling, but the company is still about five years behind Apple in India regarding sales, after-sales, and marketing organisation. Google needs to maintain its current trajectory.
Sahil Mohan Gupta is Editor, Technology at Acko Drive. Views are personal.
(Edited by Humra Laeeq)