HTC has a two-year contract with Google for Pixel smartphone manufacturing and the search giant is reportedly considering LG for 2018
Google and its hardware partner HTC have reportedly shipped more than 2.1 million Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones since its launch in October 2016. Considering Google's inability to maintain supply for its Pixel-branded smartphones, this number seems pretty impressive. Google's Pixel series was announced as a premium replacement to the Nexus lineup and are available only in a handful of countries.
Google announced HTC as its partner for manufacturing Pixel series for the first two years and now Digitimes reports that the Taiwanese giant will have to compete with LG, TCL and Coolpad for the Pixel 3 contract. The Pixel 2 series, slated for launch in fall 2017, is likely to arrive in two variants codenamed Muskie and Walleye respectively.
At this point, LG seems likely to have a successful bid and it shouldn't come as a surprise considering LG's Nexus lineage. The sales estimates for the Pixel 3 models is pegged at around 5 million units and the existing Pixel smartphones are expected to bring in $4 billion in revenue for Google this year. Digitimes is quoting a local Chinese newspaper as its source for the latest piece of information. The report should definitely be taken with a pinch of salt considering Digitimes' unreliable record on technology-related announcements.
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