Google, Foxconn join forces to produce pixel smartphones in Tamil Nadu

Google is planning to expand its Pixel smartphone business in India, aiming to seize the growing demand for premium smartphones in the country

Google is currently in advanced talks with Foxconn, the contract manufacturer of iPhones, to establish local production facilities for Pixel smartphones in Tamil Nadu.

According to a report in Moneycontrol, this move aligns with Google’s strategy to expand its Pixel smartphone business in India, aiming to seize the growing demand for premium smartphones in the country, which ranks as the world’s second-largest smartphone market.

Additionally, Google’s parent company Alphabet plans to initiate drone production in Tamil Nadu through its subsidiary Wing LLC. Currently, Wing LLC operates a drone delivery service for businesses in the United States, Europe, and Australia using lightweight, autonomous drones.

Recently, a delegation from Tamil Nadu, led by Minister of Industries of Tamil Nadu TRB Rajaa, met with Google executives in the US.

Dixon to manufacture Google Pixel 8 in India

Dixon Technologies, a local contract manufacturer, is in talks with Google to produce Alphabet Inc’s premium Google Pixel 8 smartphones in India. The company said the initial batch of India-made phones will be available in the market by September, as trial production has recently started.

Dixon’s production capacity for Pixel smartphones will reach 100,000 units monthly, with an estimated 25-30 per cent designated for export, as the company embarks on a renewed effort to capture market share in India, the world’s second-largest smartphone market.

Apple eyeing Indian market

These developments come at a time when Apple is trying to increase local production of its flagship iPhones in India. Apple assembled iPhones worth $14 billion in India during FY2024, representing around 14 per cent of its global production, the report stated.

In October last year, Google initially announced its plans to locally manufacture Pixel smartphones in India, beginning with the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro models. At that time, Google said it was in talks with both domestic and international manufacturers for local smartphone production.

Moreover, Google’s plans highlight Tamil Nadu’s potential as an advanced manufacturing hub. The state already serves as a significant manufacturing base for Apple, housing operations of Foxconn, Pegatron, and Tata. Additionally, Google has previously collaborated with HP to manufacture Chromebooks at a flex facility in Chennai, catering primarily to the demand for affordable PCs in India, especially in the education sector, the report said.

Tamil Nadu holds a leading position in electronics exports, accounting for $9.56 billion, which constitutes nearly a third of the country’s total electronics exports.