Google's Pixel smartphones are going on pre-order in India

If you want to be among the first ones to pre-order one of Google’s Pixel smartphones in India, make sure you don’t fall asleep early tonight.

You will be able to pre-order Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones in India on Flipkart starting midnight tonight, Google told Mashable India. The phones will also go on pre-order through over 1,000 retail stores including Reliance Digital, Croma and Vijay Sales.

If you’re planning to purchase either of "made by Google" smartphones, do prepare yourselves to pay a premium. The starting price of the Pixel smartphone is Rs 57,000 ($855), whereas the base Pixel XL model will cost Rs 67,000 ($1,005). The top-of-the-line, 128GB variant of the Pixel will cost Rs 66,000 ($990), whereas 128GB of the Pixel XL is priced at Rs 76,000 ($1,140).

To make it easier for some people to afford the smartphone, Google says its partnered retailers will offer interest free EMI programs and “attractive upgrade offers”. The phones will ship by end of the month.

Earlier today, Google said it has partnered with HTC India for after-sales support for Pixel smartphones. Customers will be able to avail support from 56 HTC India walk-in service centres in more than 30 cities across India.

The company has also setup a toll free phone support service for Indian customers. The support number, 18004190655, will be functional all days of the week between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm. There’s also an online support that users can avail directly from the phone itself. Through this, a user will be able to share their screen with a service representative and get their queries answered.

The Pixel sports a 5-inch full HD (1,920 x 1,080) display whereas its larger variant, the Pixel XL, has a 5.5-inch Quad HD (2,560 x 1,440) screen. The Pixel phones are the latest to run Android Nougat (version 7.1), the latest version of Google's mobile operating system. More interestingly, both phones come pre-loaded with Google Assistant, a feature that uses artificial intelligence to understand what users are saying and responds conversationally with the best answers.

Both phones are powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 821 processor, and also feature 12.3-megapixel rear cameras. At the event, Google noted that the 12.3-megapixel sensor used in the Pixel smartphones has scored the most by any smartphone on DxOMark benchmarking.

The phones will be available in "Quite Black" and "Very Silver" color options. The "Really Blue" color variant won't be available initially.