Google has been releasing its ‘A’ series of Pixels in the middle of the year, targeting customers searching for a high-quality inexpensive gadget, for the last few years. This year’s Pixel 7a is on sale in India for 43,999 ($536), which isn’t exactly cheap pricing for the nation but is closer to the $499 (40,937) price in the US.
The Tensor G2 is the largest version, to sum up. The Pixel 7 was released alongside the second generation of Google’s own silicon, which, as Frederic pointed out, wasn’t a significant improvement over the G1. It is the driving force behind the developing Pixel hardware ecosystem, which now includes the Pixel Watch and several generations of Pixel Buds. It also runs all three of the gadgets. Along with it, you also get the same 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage as the 7 models. The Pro, on the other hand, comes with 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage.
However Notably, the Pixel 6a was released in India at the same rupee pricing last year despite costing $449 in the US. Customers at the time complained about the expensive price on Reddit and Twitter.
The Pixel 6a will continue to be sold in the nation by Google for a lower price of 29,999 ($365), which is somewhat dissimilar to the decreased price of $349 in the United States. The smartphone is already available for sale on several e-commerce sites, including Walmart-owned Flipkart, for $27,999 ($341). Later in the year, holiday discounts might bring the cost down even further.
The business declared that it is ‘eager’ to introduce the 7a to India. Google is still producing the most recent gadget in Vietnam, despite claims that it planned to relocate some production there.
A company spokeswoman stated, “Pixel remains committed to India. It has been encouraging to see the interest people across the country have shown for Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, and Pixel 7 Pro last year.”
Google has struggled to get a sizable market share in the nation despite marketing efforts. Over 150,000 smartphones were supplied to India last year, according to Navkendar Singh, Associate Vice President at IDC India. But in Q1 2023, it had already crossed the 175,000 threshold, mostly because of the Pixel 6a. In contrast, 144 million smartphones were shipped to India last year.
In India, where the $300-$500 market expanded by 20% in 2022, Google mostly competes in this area. Additionally, the corporation distributes its products mostly through online channels, which outperformed offline channel sales and held a 53% market share. According to Singh, more consumers wanting to upgrade their phones are focusing on this market, which has profited from the sub-$300 segment’s 15% decline in sales over the previous year.
The Mountain View-based business will face tough competition from companies that provide a variety of $300–500 devices, including OnePlus, Nothing, Xiaomi, and Vivo.
Also Read: Google I/O 2023: Wrap-Up and Highlights of All the Announcements
