Joe Maring / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Google will reportedly develop high-end Pixel phones in Vietnam later this year.
- Google already makes Pixels in the country, but conducting key development in the market would be a big step.
- This move could help Google weather economic upheaval due to US tariffs.
Google first started moving Pixel phone production from China to Vietnam in 2019, and the company has continued to shift production from China to both Vietnam and India. Now, the company could actually do more than produce Pixel phones outside China.
Nikkei Asia reports that Google plans to both develop and manufacture high-end Pixel phones in Vietnam in 2026. The outlet reports that Google will carry out so-called new product introductions (NPIs) for Pixel, Pixel Pro, and Pixel Fold models in the country.
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NPI refers to the stage of developing, verifying, and adjusting production processes for new devices. This stage, which involves both the smartphone maker and its suppliers, apparently requires significant investment in tooling equipment and testing machines. Google has generally conducted the NPI stage in China until now. The outlet claims that development of the Pixel A phones will remain in China for now, though.
Two Nikkei sources say that creating a Pixel phone from scratch in Vietnam should be achievable, as Google already manufactures high-end Pixels and performs some verification steps in the country. So it’s not as if the company is starting from absolutely nothing.
The move also comes against a backdrop of economic uncertainty due to aggressive tariffs by the US government. Analyst Lori Chang told the outlet that moving the NPI process to another country is a “key indicator of a supply chain’s ability to operate independently.” She added that geopolitical and tariff reasons also motivate companies to move their supply chains in order to reduce costs over time. Needless to say, being able to design and produce phones in either country from scratch gives Google some financial and strategic flexibility.
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