Google Pixel Smartphone Sales Surge with Double-Digit Growth

Google has released eight generations of its Pixel devices since 2016, starting with the original Pixel and Pixel XL, and now announcing the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro last week. During this time, it has managed to sell nearly 40 million devices, of which 10 million were sold last year, as revealed by IDC.

According to IDC VP Francisco Jeronimo, Google has sold 37.9 million Pixel devices since the first lineup launched in 2016, nearly eight years ago. In addition, he points out that Google Pixel sales have grown at a double-digit rate in recent years. That’s certainly good news for Google Pixel fans who want the lineup to succeed, and with the just-launched Pixel 8 series, it could push that number even further.

Notably, Google’s flagship Pixel lineup was absent in markets like India for three generations after the Pixel 3, as Google skipped the launch of the Pixel 6, Pixel 5, and Pixel 4 series in India. However, it did introduce A-series models like the Pixel 3a and Pixel 4a. The company refocused on the Indian market only in 2022 when it brought the flagships back to the country with the Pixel 7 series.

Pixel devices have also performed well in other Asian regions, such as Japan, where they have reportedly taken market share from Apple. Google Pixel devices now hold 12 percent of Japan’s smartphone market, while the iPhone’s share fell from 58 percent to 46 percent in the second quarter of 2023, according to Counter Point, reported by Bloomberg.

Additionally, reports suggest that most of the thermal issues associated with its Tensor chipsets have been resolved with the Pixel 8 series. Google is committing to seven years of OS updates, which could create more incentives for people to buy Pixel devices, especially in developed economies like Japan and the US.

However, it’s worth noting that the prices of the Pixel 8 series have gone up significantly this year, with the Pixel 8 priced at Rs 75,999 and the Pixel 8 Pro priced at Rs 1,06,999 in India and $699 for the Pixel 8 and $999 for the Pixel 8 Pro in the US . It remains to be seen how the market will react to these price increases, as expectations for these phones have grown considerably now that they are in the same flagship category as Apple and Samsung.