Google is reportedly asking its hardware partners to source some components for its Pixel smartphones locally, instead of importing them.
Google Pixel 9a (pictured) was the latest Pixel phone to launch in India
Google Pixel smartphone production could be moved from Vietnam to India, according to a report. Google parent Alphabet is said to have conducted talks with its manufacturing partners in India to produce more Google Pixel smartphones in the country. This is expected to expedite Google's plans to ramp up manufacturing in India over the next few years. Like Apple, the firm appears to be taking efforts to cushion the impact from tariffs announced earlier this month by US President Donald Trump on several countries, including Vietnam and India.
Citing two executives, a report in The Economic Times states that Alphabet conducted a round of talks with Foxconn and Dixon earlier this month, as the company seeks to move a part of Google Pixel smartphone manufacturing to India. Google is also said to have asked its partners to source components such as the fingerprint scanner, batteries, and chargers locally, instead of importing them.
According to the publication, up to 45,000 Google Pixel smartphones are already produced by Google's manufacturing partners in India every month, but most of these handsets are primarily sold in the country. The company started manufacturing its smartphones in India in August 2024, starting with the Pixel 8.
Google was already planning to shift Google Pixel production to India, as per the report, but it appears that the company's is set to expedite its plans. Once production of Google Pixel smartphones in the country has increased, Google plans to ship them to the US — just like Apple.
The company's dialogue with Dixon and Foxconn was in response to US President Donald Trump's tariffs announced on China (up to 145 percent), Vietnam (46 percent), and India (26 percent) and several other countries. The US has paused these tariffs for most countries, except China, for a period of 90 days.
It's currently unclear exactly how much of Google Pixel smartphone production would take place in India, as part of Google's efforts to cushion the impact of the tariffs on China and Vietnam. If the company's partners source components locally, it might also result in the cost of the smartphones dropping in the future.
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