Last year, Google has sold less than 4 million Pixel handsets. While this seems like a large number, it is not. However, the Google Pixel flagships are not doing great in emerging markets like India mainly due to their price. Although the Android One handsets are quite popular in such markets, and Android Go — still in its infancy — might help as well, a more affordable Google Pixel phone is allegedly on its way as well.
According to ETtech, the technology section of well-known Indian online magazine Economic Times, "Google plans to launch a mid-range Pixel smartphone focused on price-sensitive markets such as India around July-August." Leading retailers that recently had talks with Google concerning the company's plans in India revealed that the internet search giant is excited about the growth of the consumer product business in the area. This evolution of the market comes as a natural consequence of the ever-expanding cheap 4G connectivity provided by Reliance Jio and other operators.
Before the mid-range Pixel handset arrives, Google is planning to launch multiple products in India, including the premium Pixelbook notebook, various intelligent home automation products, as well as its new smart speakers.
Unfortunately, we have no information about the specs and features that we should expect from the upcoming Google Pixel phone. However, since it has been confirmed by multiple sources who spoke to the Economic Times that Google is planning to spend big for advertising in India, to face the behemoths like Samsung and Apple, we might bump into some teasers sooner than expected.