HTC will offer after sale service for Google’s Pixel smartphones

Despite the iPhone 7 hype, Apple is expected to have low smartphone growth this year. On the other hand, Samsung has reportedly stopped selling its Note 7 in the market. Amidst all this, Google must be feeling lucky and is high on expectations with its Pixel range.

But, the tech giant isn’t getting any complacent. To further strengthen its position, Google is partnering with HTC to take on Apple's iPhone 7 this festive season.

According to ET reports, HTC will offer after-sales service of Google's Pixel smartphone in 30 cities in the country. HTC will also sell the device through more than 1,000 retail outlets and large format store chains including Vijay Sales, Croma, Reliance Digital, Jumbo, Spice Mobility across the country.

Although HTC gets its own smartphones assembled in Noida facility of contract manufacturer Optiemus-Wistron, all Pixel phones will be made by HTC and will be imported into India.

A Google spokesperson said, "We have partnered with HTC India for after sales service in 56 walk-in service centers in over 30 cities. Redington India is our national distributor for all channels in India."

Analysts are counting this partnership as one of the strategies to position its artificial intelligence factor as the next big differentiator in smartphone space. Tarun Pathak, senior analyst at Counterpoint Research said, "Pixel is surely a shift from its traditional strategy only with the role reversals between Google and its partner."