Here’s why it’s Google vs ‘China’ in India from now

Yesterday was Google’s biggest event of the year where it unveiled two new Pixel smartphones, a new truly wireless earbuds, couple of Nest devices and a brand new PixelBook. However, Google gave its Pixel fans a big shock in India as it announced that the new smartphones will not be available in India. In an official statement, a Google spokesperson said, “Google has a wide range of products that we make available in different regions around the world. We determine availability based on a variety of factors, including local trends, and product features. We decided not to make Pixel 4 available in India. We remain committed to our current Pixel phones and look forward to bringing future Pixel devices to India.”

The true reason as many are citing may be its Project Soli or, as the company said, a “variety of factors” but in India, Google is now in direct competition with Chinese brands. It’s not Google vs Apple any more but Google vs China. Google is likely to bring its ‘A’ series of devices which aren’t flagship or premium phones but ‘affordable’ premium. If Pixel 3a or Pixel 3a XL is anything to go by then the phones that Google will now make available in India won’t cost above Rs 50,000 and perhaps start around Rs 35,000.

This is a segment that is dominated by OnePlus — its phones usually start at Rs 32,990 — and in the last one year has seen brands like Oppo, Vivo trying hard to crack. Oppo with its Reno series (priced around Rs 40,000) and Vivo with its Nex (may or may not come to India this year) or the V Pro series will be Pixel’s main competitors. Google has always been championing its camera but with Pixel 4 it has got new gestures, motion sensing features that make the Pixel 4 an attractive proposition.

With the Pixel ‘A’ series of devices, its quite clear that those features won’t be arriving to India. Google once again is betting heavily on the cameras to make a dent in the Indian smartphone market. Unlike previous years, this time the competition won’t come just from Apple and Samsung. This time it’s the might of Chinese smartphones that offer more than ‘just’ a good camera and it will be interesting to see how Google copes with the competition.

Source: https://www.gadgetsnow.com/tech-news/heres-why-its-google-vs-china-in-india-from-now/articleshow/71608116.cms