‘India is not price sensitive, India is value sensitive’: Google India MD Mitul Shah said on Pixel 11 price hike

The memory chip shortages have pushed up smartphone and other consumer electronics prices significantly, putting pressure on consumers’ buying decisions. However, Google believes that Indian buyers won't flinch amid the price hikes, as long as they see higher or long-term value of the product.

Speaking at the Pixel 11 launch in India, Mitul Shah, Managing Director - Google Devices & Services, India, told Business Today that “India is not price sensitive; India is value sensitive,” when asked about Pixel 11 series price hikes.

This year, the Google Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro models received a Rs 10,000 price hike, whereas the Pixel 11 Pro Fold received a Rs 14,000 price increase, compared to last year’s models. This highlights that not only Chinese smartphone brands but also global players such as Google and Apple are impacted by rising memory and component costs, which could translate into higher device prices for consumers.

Must read: Google Pixel Upgrade Program announced in India: Pixel 11 buyers can upgrade every year

Shah said price hikes aren't a Google-specific problem. “The component price is an issue not limited to the smartphone industry; it's not limited to one OEM,” he said, highlighting that the memory crunch is hitting “any kind of memory component, whether it is your smartphone, your laptops or any consumer electronics device." He added that predicting when prices would stabilise was beyond him.

India is about value over price

According to Shah, Google plays big on customer belief. He said, “As an Indian customer, if I were to tell you that this is the MRP of the product but this is what that product would do for you, intuitively you would know whether it is worth the value or not.”

Google is trying to anchor the Pixel 11 series on longevity by offering seven years of OS and security updates and seven years of spare parts availability, so the device “remains fresh and performant long into the future.”

Shah also emphasised Google’s new Pixel Upgrade Programme, which lets buyers trade in their device after nine months for a new one regardless of the physical condition. “Your resale value of your old device will pay for whatever your remaining EMI's,” he said. “No questions asked.”

Must read: Google Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro launched in India: 10 things you need to know

From reactive device to proactive assistant

When asked about differentiation amid competition, Shah said the Pixel 11 series isn't about a single feature but a philosophy change in how the phone relates to its user.

“With Pixel 11, one of the biggest changes we are making is we are making the device do more for you than you doing more with your device," he said, adding that "the relationship actually is turning from reactive to proactive,” he said.

He also argued that smartphones nowadays have quietly eaten into two resources: Time and attention, and that Pixel 11 tends to change this cycle. “I think with Pixel 11 we are trying to reclaim the time and attention back to our life,” he said, describing it as "the most foundational shift in how Pixel 11 is going to differentiate itself."

Gemini AI expanding, India retail presence, and more

When asked about Gemini AI adaptation for Indian users, Shah pointed to Google's control over hardware, software and silicon. “Pixel is the only device in the world where hardware, software, operating system, and AI silicon everything is done by a single OEM,” he said. He stated the Magic Capture feature as an example, saying that “When I saw Magic Capture for the first time on demo I thought somebody took my heart's desire and put it onto a Pixel phone.”

Must read: Google Fitbit Air launching in India this October: Features and specifications confirmed

The feature relies heavily on the Tensor G6 chip's doubled memory bandwidth and a TPU with 50% more compute, he said, which lets the phone analyse “nearly 500 frames for a single scene” in real time to decide framing and stabilisation.

In terms of India’s retail presence and expanding accessibility of Pixel devices, Shah said Pixel phones are available at all major retailers in India and available for hands-on demos in thousands of stores.”

Its service centres span across 22 cities, including four with Google-branded centres, while mail-in service reaches roughly 12,000 PIN codes. However, he also said that “India is not a country; India is like a continent, so it takes time for us to get there.”