Not too long ago, Google had launched its latest range of its Pixel smartphones. These are the Pixel 2 and the Pixel 2 XL. Unlike most other smartphone manufacturers, Google has not decided on how many units it will manufacture or how many units it decides to sell in the coming months. However, one thing is clear: the Pixel 2 range will have a better offline presence in Indi compared to its predecessors. This may partially be Google’s way of acknowledging the different market which India represents.
In a report by Gadgets 360, Mario Queiroz, who is the VP of Hardware Product Management, as well as Rick Osterloh, who is the Senior Vice President of Google Hardware, stated that while all of the channels would be used to sell the phone in India, the offline mode would be chosen more particularly. This is because Google has not revealed exactly how many units of the previous Pixel devices it had revealed last time around, although estimates range at around 2 million devices sold.
The Indian market poses a unique challenge for the global giant, as the offline sales network in the country is very strong. This does not mean that the online sales market is lagging behind; in fact, it is picking up momentum even as we speak. We had previously reported that the two new models would launch in India in the first week of November.
Xaomi was one of the first major brands which had decided to bring its new devices only on the offline format. However, after gauging the Indian market and the public mood, it has decided to open its new Mi stores, which are offline channels. These are standalone stores where only products manufactured by Xiaomi are stored and sold. It is unlikely, however, that Google will have its own standalone stores in India. It might partner with many of the malls and other third-party mobile stores.
The Google Pixel 2 and the Pixel 2 XL will start pre-orders on October 26. The Google Pixel 2 will come for 61,000 for the 64GB model and Rs. 70,000 for the 128GB models. The Pixel 2 XL will come for Rs. 73,000 and Rs. 82,000 for the 64GB/128GB models, respectively.