Google isn’t rolling out Android 11 update to Pixel phones in India: Here’s why

At the time of the launch, Google said that Android 11 will be arriving on Pixel smartphones and smartphones by select manufacturers including Xiaomi, Realme, Oppo and OnePlus.

Android 11 (Google)

Google earlier this week launched its Android 11 mobile operating system to Android smartphones all over the world. At the time of the launch, the company announced that Android 11 will be arriving on Pixel smartphones and smartphones by select manufacturers including Xiaomi, Realme, Oppo and OnePlus. While Pixel phone owners across the globe have started getting the update, Pixel users in India are yet to get the Android 11 update on their smartphones. Now, a report says that Pixel users in India might have to wait a little longer to gain access to the latest software update.

Google's OTA images page, which has download links for all Pixel smartphone builds says that the Android 11 update is available for all carriers except in India. “11.0.0 (RP1A.200720.011, Sep 2020, All carriers except EMEA, SG, and IN),” Google wrote in the notes for a Pixel 4a model. A similar note is available for Pixel 4 XL, Pixel 4, Pixel 3a XL, Pixel 3a, Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, Pixel 2, and Pixel 2 XL smartphones.

Google hasn't launched the Pixel 4 series smartphones in India and the Pixel 4a series is not available in India yet. And so, it is understandable why the Android 11 is not available for these smartphones in India. What comes as a bit of a surprise is the fact that the update isn't available for Pixel 3 series, Pixel 3a series, and Pixel 2 series smartphone in the country.

Now, a report by Android Central suggests that this might have to do something with carrier testing. Smartphones in the US are available in the form of carrier models. However, that isn't the case in India. So, it is possible that Google is withholding the update owing to additional carrier testing. That said, Google hasn't commented on the matter yet and so, one can only speculate the reason at this point.