latest
Google will start manufacturing some Pixel phones in India next year
India's manufacturing prowess gets a boost with Google's decision
The worldwide mobile phone market is constantly changing, as brands look for innovations to remain relevant. In this dynamic environment, Google has shared some notable news regarding its production strategy. The company will begin manufacturing some of its Pixel phones, starting with the Pixel 8, in India beginning in 2024.
Google Files gets ready to connect international users with digital government documents
DigiLocker support should soon be available in India
Our phones contain our whole lives, and that's only becoming more true by the day. NFC payment apps like Google Wallet are slowly replacing traditional billfolds by eliminating the need to carry credit cards and phasing out physical IDs with region-specific support for government documents. It appears a similar integration could soon be heading to the Google Files app for users in India.
Court ruling could spell doom for Google Search ads about rival brands
India's challenge to Google asks if your Search ad is misleading
In today's interconnected world, digital advertising serves as a linchpin for businesses. As companies strive for online prominence, they frequently find themselves navigating the complex interplay between advertising strategies and intellectual property rights. Recent events in India underscore this intricacy, while a broader look at the tech world, as we recently highlighted in a case concerning 4G technology patents, suggests that such challenges are not isolated.
Google is reportedly getting serious about Pixels in India
The Pixel 5a may not face the stock shortages the 4a did
The Pixel 3 was the last flagship phone that Google released in India; neither the Pixel 4 nor Pixel 5 ever made it to one of the world's largest smartphone markets. While it still doesn't sound like Pixel flagships will be coming there anytime soon, Google may be planning a surprisingly India-inclusive launch for its next midrange phone.
Google Pay users in India are going to start seeing targeted ads — but you can opt out
The new version of the app will show the choice on boot
The Google Pay app has seen a major overhaul recently, being a more wholistic approach to shopping and money transfers in addition to a basic payment tool. This change hasn't been universally appreciated, but it's there nonetheless. Starting next week, Google Pay users in India will see a new option: targeted advertising based on traffic and spending habits. Google calls it "personalization."
Google invests millions in Indian unicorn Glance and Dailyhunt
TikTok rivals Roposo and Josh also boosted by Google's cash injection
Earlier this year, Google committed a corpus of $10 billion for driving digital growth in India, of which a large portion went to Reliance Jio. Of the remaining fund, the search giant has now started investing in its own ambitious projects and various other local startups that align with its vision of digital inclusion. The services to get Google's backing include two major local news ports, Glance and Dailyhunt, alongside their sister short-video services.
Google is breaking language barriers in India
Google Maps, Search, and Lens are now available in multiple Indian languages
It's no secret that India is one of the most linguistically diverse nations in the world. With 22 official languages and a hundred more that aren't, it can be quite challenging for a company to break the language barrier. But Google has been making efforts to localize its products and services for a billion Indians and it's now sharing all that it's accomplished so far at its L10n India event.
After launching in India, Google Search 'people cards' are now rolling out in Africa
For those of you who want to have a bigger presence in Google Search
Read update
We're all familiar with the "knowledge panels" that pop up in Google when a famous person's name is searched, but Google has been working on something like this, which it calls "people cards," for us regular people. We first learned about this back in February, when Google published some support pages (that it quickly took down), but the feature officially launched in India in August and is now coming to some African countries as well.
Google's lack of foresight and strategy is stifling Pixel sales in India
Poor planning is to blame, rather than high prices
When Google announced that its new budget champ, the Pixel 4a, would cost ₹30,000 — a whole 25% less than the Pixel 3a — it felt like Google has finally learned to hit the right note for India. The company nearly checked all the right boxes: the release was well-timed, coinciding with Flipkart’s month-long Diwali extravaganza, and user interest in the phone was right at its peak. It all paid off when the 4a opened to blockbuster sales with units flying off the (virtual) shelves, and then… Google happened. Stocks dried up in a matter of minutes, and Google wasn't able to replenish them for over two weeks.
Google faces antitrust case for monopolizing India’s smart TV market
It allegedly bullied manufacturers into staying away from Android TV rivals
Google’s been facing antitrust cases left, right, and center in nearly all its major global markets, and it looks like those legal woes aren’t going away anytime soon. While the search giant’s Indian arm has already been contesting a couple of existing anti-competitive lawsuits (it was even fined $21 million in one of them), a new case alleges similar behavior in the smart TV market and makes some serious accusations about Google abusing its dominance.
Google bets big on localized products in India with $10 billion investment
Digital push planned for largely untapped business and education sectors
Google for India is the annual event where many company executives, including Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, take the stage to announce what’s next for Google in the country. This year’s digital event was a little different and focused more on education — a sector that has been badly hit as a result of recent lockdowns — in addition to small businesses. The biggest takeaway from today's event was the billion investment parent company Alphabet is committed to the development of its Indian business.
Google Search celebrates Holi with a colorful Easter egg
Letting you splash the entire page with paint
Celebrations for the festival of colors, Holi, are on in the Indian subcontinent, with Google also partaking in its own way. The company’s digital take on the festivity includes an Easter egg on its search results screen that lets you splash the entire page with paint. After you’re done creating a multicolored mess like a kid (which is actually fun), an option will help you clean the screen and carry on with your dull day as if nothing happened.