The Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are available for pre-order in the U.S., with shipping set to begin on 17th of this month, however, availability in other markets remains unknown.
In fact, availability of Google phones remains to be one of the stumbling blocks of the phone’s success. Not so many countries have exclusive access to the Pixel and Pixel 2 phones via the Google Store. It’s true the store is now available in more than 30 countries across the globe, however, not all of them allow residents to purchase the Pixel phones.
One of the countries that residents have no access to the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL via the Google Store is Japan. A concerned fan took to Twitter to ask why the search giant has not yet unveiled the Pixel 2 phones in the Asian country. Apparently, the company has plans to unveil the phones in more markets in the future, perhaps Japan and several others that are yet to see the Google phones locally, according to Benjamin Perlmutter, a top Google contributor specializing in Pixel and Nexus phones.
Hi onemarkglg! We plan to launch in more markets in the future, but have no details to share at this time. This site shows (1/3)
— Benjamin Perlmutter (@perlmeister1l) October 5, 2017
Even though this was expected to happen sooner or later, the latest development focuses on the Pixel 2 phones, which means more markets could start purchasing the phones via their local Google Store in the not-so-distant future.
The company has promised to push the Pixel 2 phones further into the Indian market, but with the hefty price tag in a market where budget phones dominate, it remains to be seen how successful Google’s efforts will be. The Pixel 2 starts at $649 for the base model while the Pixel 2 XL can be yours for $849, nearly twice what the base model of the Nexus 6P was valued at.
Google has reached a stage where it feels ready to venture into the hardware market and by acquiring the Pixel team from HTC, the company is showing glimpses of a tech giant that was supposed to compete Apple on this front long ago. However, it is never too late until it’s over. Besides, it doesn’t seem like the availability of the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will be any different from what we’ve seen before – patchy.