It’s Official: Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL Not Coming to India

Google has recently unveiled the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL at an event in New York along with Pixel Buds, Pixelbook Go, and the Nest Mini. The global shipping of the Pixel 4 series starts from October 24, 2019, while the brand has reported that Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL will not launch in India. Here is the reason why the two flagships by Google are not coming to India.

Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are equipped with Project Soli, which is a radar-based gesture control technology that was developed by Google’s Advanced Technology and Projects team (ATAP) back in 2015. The radar on the smartphone relies on using 60GHz mmWave frequency to provide the features like Face Unlock with IR sensors, Motion sense, etc.

In India, the 60GHz mmWave frequency is locked as it is permitted only for military or government projects. Google has not been able to secure permissions from local authorities in India to use the above-mentioned frequency range.

A Google spokesperson said in a statement – “Google has a wide range of products that we make available in different regions around the world. We determine availability based on a variety of factors, including local trends, and product features. We decided not to make Pixel 4 available in India. We remain committed to our current Pixel phones and look forward to bringing future Pixel devices to India.”

The restriction in usage of 60GHz mmWave frequency is the only reason that Google can’t sell Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL in India. Talking about the Soli radar chip, it proactively turns on the face unlock sensors when you want to unlock the phone and it will work in almost any orientation, even if you are holding it upside down. The Motion Sense will let the smartphone recognize gestures and detect when you are nearby. It will allow you to skip songs, snooze alarms, and even silence phone calls, just by waving your hand.

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