Over the past few years or so, since it’s initial launch, the Google Pixel series of smartphones have been edging their way into the mainstream. I would even go so far as to say that it has joined the ranks of the top 4 smartphone brands in the world, alongside OnePlus, Apple, and Samsung with their flagships respectively. The Google Pixel 3 was a big success worldwide, pretty much considered to be the gold standard in smartphone cameras, as well as android phones. The popularity in India was doing well as well, prompting Google to launch a Pixel 3a, a budget variant, specifically targeting the Indian market, which did very well. Now, in late 2019, the Google Pixel 4, and Google Pixel 4 XL have both been launched, however, they will not be launched in India, here’s why.
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What is Google Pixel 4
Right off the bat, there is merit to discussing what exactly the Google Pixel 4 is. In essence, as mentioned, it is the newest flagship from the Google brand, carrying the Android 10 software, as new Google phones do. In fact, one of the biggest selling points of the Google Pixel series of phones is that they always carry the newest stock Android experiences, before any other manufacturer gets to put their stamp on them.
Why won’t it be sold in India?
In simple terms, the newest pixel phone, the 4 and 4 XL carry some military grade communications technology as part of Googles newest innovation rollout. However, this technology while approved in the United States, and many other nations, has not yet been approved for consumer grade use in the subcontinent of India. As a result of this, instead of releasing a lite version, Google has simply decided to scrap the Pixel 4 series in the Indian market. Clearly they don’t see merit in going through the arduous process of dealing with the Indian government, and would much rather not launch the phone, sacrificing whatever small percentage of market share they had in the first place.
Should we Expect Google Devices in the Future?
The simple answer to this is yes. First, in an indirect sense, we have gotten other devices from Google, such as chrome books, and home devices in the past, so definitely, the possibility of Google closing down shop in India is fairly slim. In a much more literal sense however, the Pixel 5 series will be launched over a year from now, giving the government time to regulate the use of new technologies better, in anticipation of the launch. Additionally, Google could make moves in India through their campuses for the government to expedite some approvals for the next phone. Even before that however, it’s unlikely that the Pixel 4a, the light version, will feature this military grade technology, and will likely be sold in India, seeing as the 3a did so well in this market, and Google would be making a huge mistake to miss out on that marketshare.
