India

Google Pixel 4 won’t be coming to India

Google failed to secure permission from local authorities

Published

October 16, 2019

Clinton Jeff

Bad news for Pixel fans in India — shortly after the global launch of the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4XL today, Google announced that they would not be bringing the new Pixels to the sub-continent.

A Google spokesperson stated that the company, “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.”

While Google has not explicitly given a reason, the decision is rumored to be due to the Pixel 4’s headline feature, Project Soli, which is a radar-based motion-sensing chip that depends on using the 60GHz mmWave frequency band. This frequency band is not open for unlicensed civilian usage in India, and the company has seemingly not been able to secure permission from Indian authorities to use it.

In the US, the FCC approved Project Soli earlier this year, and the 60GHz frequency is unlicensed and usable, so Pixel 4 is already up for pre-order.

In India, the local TRAI recommendation in 2014 was to allow for opening up the 60GHz frequency band but it still remains locked and only permitted for military projects. As a result, Google is unable to sell the phone in the country. Disabling the Soli chip won’t be enough either as the mere presence of the 60GHz radar hardware itself is not allowed under current Indian laws.

An alternative available to Google would be to create a different variant of the Pixel 4 without the Soli hardware, but that would have further complicated the entire Pixel experience just for one market.

The Project Soli chip in the Pixel 4 allows for some cool features on the phone, such as the ability to detect human interactions, and recognize gestures, so you could wave your hand to silence a call or skip a song.

At the event today, VP of Product Management at Google Sabrina Ellis even claimed that this allows Pixel 4 to have “the fastest secure face unlock on a smartphone, because the process starts before you have even picked up the smartphone.”

According to research firm Counterpoint, over 99 percent of smartphones shipped in India last year were powered by Android. India is the second largest smartphone market in the world, so Google would be missing out for opting to not sell the Pixel 4. Here’s to hoping Google manages to get permission from the local Indian authorities, because there’s a lot to love about the kind of innovation that the Pixel 4 brings along.

Source: TechCrunch

Related Topics:Google Google Pixel 4 Pixel 4 Project Soli

India

India imposes a ban on imported laptops, tablets, and PCs

Personal orders are still allowed

Published

August 4, 2023

Luigi Leonardo

There’s no doubt that India is a major market for technology. While the country has its own brand preferences outside of the world’s usual, everyone still wants to get a piece of the market. To the dismay of global companies, the country is realizing the potential of its own market. Effective immediately, India has started restricting imports for new laptops, tablets, and PCs.

Recently, India made some headlines in the smartphone industry. A few companies, including Apple, have poured funds into building factories in India. Locally produced devices will allow these companies to attract the Indian market better. With the new regulations out today, it looks like these brands are going to enjoy a head start over others who aren’t in the country yet.

The Indian government introduced a new restriction (via Reuters) against the importation of “laptops, tablets, all-in-one personal computers, and ultra-small form factor computers and servers” made from other countries. Customers, however, will get an exemption. Airline passengers can still bring in these devices in their luggage. Additionally, a single imported device is allowable when bought through e-commerce platforms. Companies can import their products only by applying for a special license.

In a nutshell, bulk orders without a license are out. The government is instead encouraging users to buy locally produced products as part of its “Make in India” program. At the very least, it’s not a total ban on foreign brands. For example, Dell, HP, and Lenovo are exempt from the regulations since they already have production facilities built in the country.

India

Samsung overtakes Xiaomi as top phone brand in India

As of Q4 2022

Published

March 17, 2023

Luigi Leonardo

Attacking a huge smartphone market is difficult. With preferences constantly evolving, it can get tricky to figure out the best lineup to capture most of a market. Samsung, however, has just done it. In the last quarter of 2022, Samsung has taken the crown from Xiaomi as the bestselling smartphone brand in India.

India is an important market for most smartphone brands. It’s one of the largest markets in the world. However, despite its size, the biggest players are often those who offer more affordable devices for consumers. Budget is the name of the game if a brand wants to make it big in the country.

Things are changing, though. According to new market data (via Reuters), Samsung has nabbed the throne from the former leader, Xiaomi. In the last quarter of 2022, the Korean brand grabbed 20 percent of the market, while the latter only got 18 percent.

In a trend dubbed as premiumization, Indian consumers are reportedly enjoying more disposable income, resulting in more willingness to buy pricier products. Additionally, the report hints that consumers have started equating lower prices with inferior quality.

With the market trending towards more premium products, Samsung took the lead with a lineup that consists more of midrange to premium devices. It will also be interesting to see if Apple, an even more premium brand, can also make a dent in the Indian market.

Enterprise

Apple is preparing to open its first stores in India

Based on new job listings

Published

January 10, 2023

Luigi Leonardo

For one of the largest smartphone markets in the world, India is one of the rarer countries where Apple does not outright dominate. Undoubtedly, the company is trying to change that. Ongoing job listings in India are suggesting that Apple is ready to open its first brick-and-mortar store in the country.

First reported by Financial Times, Apple has posted job openings in India for several retail roles including for the iconic Genius Bar. Another clue even indicates that some spots have already been filled ahead of time. A few employees in the country have reportedly posted about their new jobs on LinkedIn.

Unfortunately, none of the job listings show how many stores are planned and where they will be. Narrowing things down by a bit, a few of the confirmed employees are from Mumbai and New Delhi. The report also does not indicate when the stores will open. However, since a few have already been hired, a grand opening might be coming soon.

Apple has a lot to gain by strengthening its foothold in India. The country is an important stronghold for smartphone companies. However, the company might find things harder as time goes by. The country recently dictated that brands must switch to USB-C if they want to sell their devices in India. All over the world, Apple remains the last stalwart against adopting the more universal standard.