Google Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL Won’t Launch in India, Here’s Why

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Google launched the Pixel 4 and the Pixel 4 XL smartphones yesterday at an event in New York. Unfortunately, Google won’t be launching either of them in the Indian market. There are two reasons for this decision from Google.

Let us start with the hardware point of view. The Pixel 4 and the Pixel 4 XL have Soli radar system for face detection and hand gestures. This system works on 60GHz radiofrequency. And the Indian government doesn’t allow 60GHz frequency for consumer usage. And hence, Google cannot sell the Pixel 4 in India. Google might be able to launch the device with Soli radar system deactivated, but then the Pixel 4 won’t have any biometric authentication for unlocking the device, and I don’t think people would be willing to spend equivalent to $1000 in India for a smartphone that neither has fingerprint scanner nor face detection.

And that brings us to the sales perspective. Last year Google launched the Pixel 3 and the Pixel 3 XL in the Indian market, but they weren’t taken well by the public, as neither devices offered hardware worthy of their price tag. Moreover, they lacked many features that Indian people expect from high-end flagship smartphones. And the same is the case with the Pixel 4 and the Pixel 4 XL – they don’t offer hardware worthy of their price tag. For example, they lack 4K video recording at 60 frames per second and an ultrawide camera, and they come with only 128GB of maximum storage. And Google knows that Indian people won’t pay a $1000 equivalent premium on such a device. So, it makes more sense for Google not to launch them in the Indian market.


If you are a real Pixel fan and want to get your hands on the Pixel 4 or the Pixel 4 XL, you can import them to India. Anyway, to check out the specifications and pricing of the Pixel 4 series, you can read our launch article.