Pixels didn’t add up to paint a profitable picture for Google in India. Google Pixel smartphones aren’t the cash cow like Apple or Samsung in the world’s second-largest smartphone market, a fact that is evident from poor sales, as reported by the global technology giant.
Why have Google Pixel Sales Gradually Dipped with Time?
Google’s flagship smartphones, built by HTC and packed with unique Google features were launched amidst great pomp and show last October. Despite premium positioning, the Pixel sales haven’t skyrocketed yet due to two important reasons–
- Greater brand value of Google pixel competitors (that is Samsung’s Galaxy series and Apple’s iPhones),
- High-end Google Pixel price tag (Rs 57,000 in Indian currency).
With this, the critics have started analysing the possible reasons behind the startling failure of Google’s low-end Android smartphone project.
Sales data suggest that Google hasn’t fared well in India as well as in the global market. Just 40,000 Pixel phones have been shipped since the initial launch. Compared to this, the Samsung and Apple phones have shipped lakhs of units. In the global market, Apple and Samsung have sold 70 million and 80 million units respectively whereas Google has shipped just 2.5 million devices. In the Rs 40,000+ category, Google bags just 5% share thus, losing a substantial ground worldwide.
Despite the poor market performance, tech fans believe that Pixel and Pixel XL are impressive enough to give the Apple variants problems. Here’s why Google Pixel has superior specifications.
Google Pixel Features: A Comparative Analysis with Apple and Samsung
| No. |
Features |
Google Pixel XL | iPhone 7+ | Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge |
| 1 | Color | Quite Black, Very Silver | Black, Gold, Jet Black, Rose Gold, Silver | Black Onyx, Blue Coral, Gold Platinum, Pink Gold, Silver Titanium |
| 2 | Storage | 32 GB, 128 GB | 32 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB | 32 GB |
| 3 | Sim Size | Nano SIM | Nano SIM | Nano SIM |
| 4 | Sim Type | Single Sim, LTE | Single Sim, LTE | Dual Sim, LTE + LTE |
| 5 | Battery Type | 2770 mAh Battery | Li-Ion Battery | 3600 mAh Li-Ion Battery |
| 6 | Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 64-bit Processor | A10 Fusion Chip with 64-bit Architecture and Embedded M10 | 3600 mAh Li-Ion Battery
Exynos 8890 Processor |
| 7 | RAM | 4 GB | — | 4 GB |
| 8 | Camera | Rear 12.3 megapixel
Front 8 megapixel |
12 megapixel
7 megapixel |
12 megapixel
5 megapixel |
| 9 | Resolution | Full HD, 1920 x 1080 Pixels | Retina HD Display, 1334 x 750 Pixels | Quad HD, 2560 X 1440 Pixels |
| 10 | Memory | 32 GB | 32 GB | 32 GB (expandable up to 200 GB) |
| 11 | Display | 16:9 Aspect Ratio, Material: Anodised Aluminium (Corning Gorilla Glass 4), Oleophobic Coating, RGB LED Notification Light | Multi-touch Display, 1400:1 Contrast Ratio, Wide Color Display (P3), 625 cd/m2 Maximum Brightness, Dual Domain Pixels for Wide Viewing Angles, Fingerprint Resistant Oleophobic Coating, Display of Multiple Languages and Characters Simultaneously, Display Zoom, Reachability | Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors, 5.5 inches, 1440 x 2560 pixels, Corning Gorilla Glass 4. |
| 12 | OS | Android Nougat 7.1 | iOS 10 | Android Marshmallow 6 |
| 13 | Sensors | Pixel Imprint (Fingerprint Sensor), Accelerometer / Gyroscope, Magnetometer, Barometer, Proximity Sensor / Ambient Light Sensor, Hall Sensor, Android Sensor Hub, Digital Compass | Touch ID Fingerprint Sensor, Barometer, Three-axis Gyro Sensor, Accelerometer, Proximity Sensor, Ambient Light Sensor, Backside Illumination Sensor, Digital Compass | Accelerometer, Barometer, Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Geo-magnetic Sensor, Hall Sensor, HR Sensor, Proximity Sensor, RGB Light Sensor |
| 14 | USB | OTG Compatible | Not OTG Compatible | USB |
| 15 | Wi-Fi | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac |
| 16 | Bluetooth | v4.2 | v4.2 (Apple compatible) | v4.2 |
| 17 | NFC | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 18 | Price | Rs 57,000 | Rs 57,998 |
Rs 50,900 |
For an average user, chassis is a pretty big deal. The ability of a phone to fit in your hands and the feel as you hold it plays an important role. Google pixel is a clear winner here. Android 7.1 Nougat offers a relatively painless switch from iOS and lower versions. Pixel’s Amoled Display, razor sharp camera (HDR+Mode), battery saver ‘Doze’ mode and fingerprint reader makes it relatively superior.
A few analysts believe that Pixel never aimed at capturing the mobile market in India. Rather, it was a strategy for building the brand. However, the employees are hopeful that with the advent of new technologies, Google’s premium smartphones will capture more attention.
