Google's first retail store outside the US might be in India, says report

Google is planning to expand its physical retail stores outside the US, and the company could pick India as the new playground, according to a Reuters report. Three unnamed sources said that Google is in "advanced stages" of picking up New Delhi and Mumbai as the final locations for its stores.

Both Apple and Google sell their devices in India through authorized retailers. It's said that the Mountain View-based company is trying to follow in the footsteps of Apple, which churned tons of money by opening its stores worldwide.

Apple has over 500 stores globally compared to just five physical Google stores limited to the US, where it sells Pixel phones, watches, earbuds, and more. Google's first retail store opened on its Chelsea campus in New York City in 2021.

Being one of the largest smartphone markets with around 712 million users and one of Google's key focuses, the company has previously committed to investing billions of dollars in India. While there is no official timeline for the opening of the stores, one source told the publication that the stores are expected to be around 15,000 square feet and expected to open in around six months.

The source added that Google also considered Bengaluru, which is home to many tech companies, to be one of the potential cities. It wants to compete with Apple "especially to target the luxury segment" and will add more locations if the first stores do well.

Apple iPhone became the premium segment leader as the device's global average selling price crossed $900 for the first time. Moreover, Apple scored almost half of the global smartphone revenue in recent years. It was also reported that the market share of premium smartphones reached over 25%, contributing to the premiumization trend.

Another source told the publication that Google is firm on its plans to open physical stores. However, there are some standard regulatory and compliance processes to clear before setting up the stores.

Mumbai and New Delhi could become tech battlegrounds as Apple opened two retail stores in these cities in 2023. Apple CEO Tim Cook was present at both locations to inaugurate the company-run stores and was surprised by a fan.

Source: Reuters

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