Google aims to ship 10 million Pixel smartphones in 2024, betting big on India

After the positive reception of its range of Pixel smartphones and doubling its U.S. market share in 2023, Google is setting its sights even higher.According to reports nikkei asia, the tech giant shipped an estimated 10 million Pixel smartphones last year and is now urging suppliers to start production in India as soon as possible. This ambitious move is part of a larger plan to ship more than 10 million Pixel smartphones in 2024, cementing Google’s position as a major player in the smartphone industry.

“Google hit a Pixel smartphone milestone last year,” a source with direct knowledge of the matter said, “Google has set an ambitious goal of shipping another 10 million units in 2024.” This latest report coincides with Google’s announcement that it will start manufacturing Pixel smartphones in India in October 2023, starting with the flagship Pixel 8 series in Q2 2024.

The production process will begin with the high-end Pixel 8 Pro, with production lines expected to start in southern India in the coming weeks. Google expects the first batch of phones to roll off the assembly line between April and June 2024. Production of the standard model Pixel 8 will continue in the second half of this year, with a dedicated factory planned in northern India.

The move could benefit both consumers and Google itself, although the exact number of phones made in India and the proportion of domestic sales versus exports remains unclear. Locally produced phones could lead to more competitive pricing for Indian customers, while also reducing dependence on a single production hub and making Google’s supply chain more resilient. there is.

Google plans to start production in India, joining the ranks of tech giants like Apple that have announced production of the iPhone 13 in India, signaling a broader trend in the industry. This isn’t the first time Google appears to be taking cues from Apple’s strategy (hint: watch the video above).