Google Pixel 4 And Pixel 4 XL Will Not Be Available In India For This Reason

The search engine giant recently announced its new products during the Google Pixel event. One of the products is the much-awaited flagship handset Google Pixel 4. Surprisingly, it appears that both Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL will not be released in India because of this reason.

In a report released by India Today via MS Power User, it revealed that a representative from Google confirmed that both Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL will not be available in India. The search engine giant has a long list of products that are available in various regions around the world. These products’ availability is determined through various factors like product features and local trends, Google spokesperson said.

Google decided not to release Google Pixel 4 in India, but the company stays committed to the current Pixel phones and is hopeful of introducing future Google Pixel devices to India, the spokesperson noted. It is worth noting that this is not the first time that the company has faced some legal issues in the said country.

A decade ago, Google ran into an issue with the Indian government after they began mapping the streets of India for Google Street View. After the incident, Google has not received approval to map the streets, and until now, Street View is still unavailable in the country. One of the top reasons why Google Pixel 4 will not be available in India could be due to its Soli radar chip feature.

The Soli chipset within the Google Pixel 4 utilizes 60 GHz frequency, almost similar to the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz WiFi technology. Although 60 GHz frequency is fine in many countries, it is not allowed in India. One of the reasons behind this restriction could be because the 60 GHz frequency is utilized by the military prohibiting private companies from using it commercially.

In 2014, TRAI, the Indian telecom industry regulatory body, tried to make several changes to its policy. Unfortunately, it remained mere recommendations and was not implemented. Because of this, companies would still have to seek permission to release technology that utilizes 60 GHz frequency in India.

Google can totally remove the Soli radar chip on Google Pixel 4, so it could meet India’s law. But, it would mean for the company to go through all the trouble of totally removing the chip and redesign the entire handset just to make it available in the said country.