Shillong, October 19: Google is set to boost the ‘Make in India’ initiative as it announces plans to manufacture Pixel smartphones in the country.
As per IANS, the first ‘India-made’ batch of Pixel phones is expected to reach consumers next year. This move aligns with Google’s commitment to invest in expanding its device production capacity to meet the growing demand for Pixel smartphones in India.
Rick Osterloh, Senior Vice President of Devices & Services, emphasized the company’s dedication to the long-term development of its hardware business. Google will be partnering with both international and domestic manufacturers in India to locally produce Pixel smartphones.
The company has expanded its Pixel service network across India, working with F1 Info Solutions to establish 28 service centers in 27 cities, with plans to increase coverage to more locations in the future.
Sanjay Gupta, Country Head and Vice President, Google India, revealed that Google is collaborating with Indian firms in the banking and finance sectors and supporting national initiatives like Bhashini and The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). Google Pay is working with financial ecosystem partners to address the credit gap in India, considering the substantial value processed through UPI in the past year.
Furthermore, Google Cloud has partnered with Axis My India to develop an inclusive and multilingual super-app called “a,” aiming to bridge information equity between rural and urban India. The partnership with ONDC is also expanding to enable Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) to sell their produce online.
Google users will now have the ability to book metro tickets through the Maps app due to Google’s partnership with ONDC. Additionally, Google Cloud is collaborating with Bhashini to launch a Center of Excellence on Generative AI and Language Inclusivity.
To combat online financial fraud, Google has introduced ‘DigiKavach’ and is working with The Fintech Association for Consumer Empowerment (FACE) to address predatory digital lending apps on the Play Store in India. The company is also enhancing the Search Generative Experience by incorporating more visual and local elements.
In 2022, businesses worldwide harnessed $17.8 billion in economic activity using Google’s AI-powered products and services.