Why is Google ignoring NZ for Pixel phones

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Crysoganus

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#241076 10-Oct-2018 06:05

I see the Pixel 3 is now up for pre-order on Googles Australian site, yet nothing here (again). Does anyone know why Google is ignoring this country completely? The last phone devices they sold here were Nexus's.. nothing since..

We're being forced into the hands of the 3rd party importers

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Biddle Corp

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#2104201 10-Oct-2018 07:14

You could ask them same thing about lots of other Google products including Assistant.

The NZ phone market is so small that they clearly don't see the point in setting up operations and distribution channels here to support what would be a few thousand phones per year (and yes that it an accurate figure - there are some brands only selling a few thousand phones per year in the NZ market right now).

kyhwana2

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#2104258 10-Oct-2018 08:25

Probably because no one would buy them because of the price? Pixel 3 will be what, $1500-1600? NZD

Dingbatt

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#2104261 10-Oct-2018 08:50

Yes. It bugs me they are happy to use us for things like Project Loon, but not important enough to have proper Google Assistant functions or Google products.
If they aren't careful they will lose out to Amazon and even Samsung on the smart device front.

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SpartanVXL

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#2104328 10-Oct-2018 09:54

In NZ the market is predominantly Samsung or Apple. The rest are gobbled up by the low-mid end Chinese phones (Huawei, Oppo, Xiaomi etc.).

Edit: also mean to say our market is not worth entering with what the new pixels are marketed as

geekiegeek

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#2104346 10-Oct-2018 10:23

kyhwana2: Probably because no one would buy them because of the price? Pixel 3 will be what, $1500-1600? NZD

Tell that to all the people who just brought new iPhones (myself included) @ $1800+

Davy

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#2104347 10-Oct-2018 10:23

They should really think of Australia and NZ as one market, not separate NZ off. It's easy enough to provide support out of Aussie.

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hio77

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#2105412 10-Oct-2018 11:25

What i've been told is, While google are keen to get into NZ, they won't until their Assistance is built for NZ.

Chicken and the egg?..

I'd love to be able to grab a Pixel 3 through work, be officially supported and all..

Until that happens, Imports it will be for me.. Samsungs just... don't tickle my fancy...

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kobiak

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#2105437 10-Oct-2018 11:42

hio77:

What i've been told is, While google are keen to get into NZ, they won't until their Assistance is built for NZ.

Chicken and the egg?..

I'd love to be able to grab a Pixel 3 through work, be officially supported and all..

Until that happens, Imports it will be for me.. Samsungs just... don't tickle my fancy...

according to google I/O we should get it by the end of the year.

https://www.androidauthority.com/google-assistant-countries-864554/

maybe before Christmas holidays?

helping others at evgenyk.nz

MikeB4

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#2105438 10-Oct-2018 11:44

hio77:

What i've been told is, While google are keen to get into NZ, they won't until their Assistance is built for NZ.

Chicken and the egg?..

I'd love to be able to grab a Pixel 3 through work, be officially supported and all..

Until that happens, Imports it will be for me.. Samsungs just... don't tickle my fancy...

Last info I heard was that the Assistant was due about now.

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

sbiddle

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#2105439 10-Oct-2018 11:45

Davy: They should really think of Australia and NZ as one market, not separate NZ off. It's easy enough to provide support out of Aussie.

You still need to have a presence here for retail support and PR/marketing. If you're only going to sell 1000 phones in NZ in a year (and that is potentially a fairly accurate figure) then that's all going to cost $$

nitro

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#2105488 10-Oct-2018 12:02

sbiddle:

Davy: They should really think of Australia and NZ as one market, not separate NZ off. It's easy enough to provide support out of Aussie.

You still need to have a presence here for retail support and PR/marketing. If you're only going to sell 1000 phones in NZ in a year (and that is potentially a fairly accurate figure) then that's all going to cost $$

How would it be different for the current lineup (Pixel, etc.)? Can they not do just what they did for the Nexus line?

Or is it simply because they had Samsung, Asus, LG and Huawei handle the warranty for those? Not sure if any of those manufacturers actually promoted Nexus in those days, so marketing might not be as big a hurdle?

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nitro

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#2105494 10-Oct-2018 12:06

hio77:

Samsungs just... don't tickle my fancy...

for me... love the hardware, but not touchwiz. if they only had an android one version of the S or Note series, like there was a Google Play edition of the S4...

tripp

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#2105500 10-Oct-2018 12:10

sbiddle:

You still need to have a presence here for retail support and PR/marketing. If you're only going to sell 1000 phones in NZ in a year (and that is potentially a fairly accurate figure) then that's all going to cost $$

This.

They also need to do the GST (which pushes up the price) also need to worry about CGA, if you only sell a few phones then there is no real point. They have been here before for the nexus 5 but that was because WHS (warehouse stationery) was selling it as well.

But lets face it for the price they are asking it's pushing it into the same space as note 9 and iphone xs. When looking at the spec's etc of the pixel it does not come close to those 2 (note 9 has more ram/space, iphone xs has a better chip).

nitro

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#2105569 10-Oct-2018 13:05

tripp:

This.

They also need to do the GST (which pushes up the price) also need to worry about CGA, if you only sell a few phones then there is no real point. They have been here before for the nexus 5 but that was because WHS (warehouse stationery) was selling it as well.

But lets face it for the price they are asking it's pushing it into the same space as note 9 and iphone xs. When looking at the spec's etc of the pixel it does not come close to those 2 (note 9 has more ram/space, iphone xs has a better chip).

iirc, the nexus 5 was available because 2degrees had it. the same with the 6p. perhaps that model did not turn out well enough?

asking price didn't stop oppo from offering the find x here. and, to me, that phone really has no differentiating feature.

matisyahu

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#2105596 10-Oct-2018 13:44

DaveQ:

I see the Pixel 3 is now up for pre-order on Googles Australian site, yet nothing here (again). Does anyone know why Google is ignoring this country completely? The last phone devices they sold here were Nexus's.. nothing since..

We're being forced into the hands of the 3rd party importers

I've long come to terms with the fact that companies who ship physical products will always see New Zealand as an after thought rather than a market they want to focus on hence if I am going to buy one (I am tempted btw) I'll import it via YouShop. Yes, we can have a to and fro discussion about how xyz retailer could bring it in or the fact that JB Hi-Fi operates in New Zealand and Australia thus should be able to cater for both mrkets but alas here we are and barring Google changing their policy the best course of action is through a re-mailing service.

"When the people are being beaten with a stick, they are not much happier if it is called 'the People's Stick'"

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