Google's India Pixel shift remains slow; Vietnam, China dominate production

Two years after Google began assembling Pixel smartphones in India — hailed as a major step towards making the country an export hub following Apple's success — its share of global production from India stood at only 3 per cent in 2025, according to Counterpoint Research data.

 

The US tech giant, which sells roughly 12 million smartphones globally, continues to bet heavily on Vietnam. The country accounted for a staggering 63 per cent of Pixel production in 2025, followed by China at 34 per cent.

 

In contrast, India accounts for 25 per cent of Apple’s global iPhone production — amounting to roughly 62 million of the 247 million units shipped — while China handles the rest. And, Vietnam accounts for over 50 per cent of Samsung’s global phone production, totalling between 250 million and 300 million units a year.

 

The numbers for Google could flip if the reported move by the company to shift its production completely from China starting next year becomes a reality. According to a Nikkei Asia report, Google has informed suppliers of its plan to manufacture all Pixel devices outside China starting 2027.

 

In India, Google uses two main partners to make its phones: Dixon Technologies working with Taiwanese giant Compal, and Foxconn. Both of these manufacturing partners also run operations in Vietnam.

 

According to industry estimates, the country assembles about 400,000 phones each year. Most of these units stay in the domestic market. In contrast, iPhone production focuses mainly on exports.

 

While Google Pixel remains a minor player in India's domestic market — holding just a 2 per cent share of the super-premium segment (above ₹45,000) in 2025 — it is rapidly gaining ground. In the second quarter of calendar year 2026, Pixel emerged as the fastest-growing smartphone brand in the ultra-premium segment, posting a remarkable 68 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) growth and doubling its market share to 4 per cent for the quarter.

 

The brand has benefited from strong offline channel expansion and the absence of any price hike compared to other competing players in the market.

 

However, with a new five-year mobile manufacturing scheme providing ₹62,500 crore in incentives right after the previous production-linked incentive (PLI) programme ended in financial year 2025-26 (FY26), global companies increasingly view India as an attractive hub for smartphone assembly, serving both domestic buyers and export markets.

 

“With both mobile phone assembly and component incentive schemes in place, global players like Google find India an attractive and trusted destination to assemble smartphones and make it a hub for exports,” said Prachir Singh, analyst at Counterpoint Research.

 

Apart from Apple and Samsung, even Lenovo has used India as a base to make phones for the world market. Google could join the party.