Google will shift bases for the production of its upcoming flagship smartphone. The company is reportedly shifting the production site of some of its Pixel phones to Vietnam. A New York Times report stated that Google plans to shift the assembly part from Foxconn facilities in South China to Vietnam. The first Google smartphone to get assembled in Vietnam following the move will be the upcoming Pixel 7 series.
Google will still rely on its Chinese suppliers for the manufacturing of its foldable phone. This is mainly due to the technical aspects and expertise of foldable phone technology. Let’s take a look at more details about Google shifting the Pixel 7 production site outside China.
Pixel 7 production shift to Vietnam: What this means to China
The Pixel 7 series batch of production might not be made completely in China. According to an NYT report, the Pixel 7 series will be made in Vietnam. The report further stated that Google aims for its Vietnam suppliers to provide as much as half of the total high-end Pixel phones next year.
This could be a major blow for China as Google joins the list of tech giants who are moving out of the country looking for alternative production sites. Apple will make its new iPhone 14 models soon in India. The US tech giant will partner with Foxconn and other suppliers to start making the new iPhone 14 in India within a couple of months of its launch. The likes of Microsoft and Amazon are also manufacturing their products outside China. The NYT report stated that Microsoft has shipped Xbox game consoles this year from Ho Chi Minh City. Amazon has been making Fire TV devices in Chennai. These products were previously made in China.
But why are companies moving out of China? There are several factors, but the trigger point was the COVID-19 pandemic. The reliance on Chinese suppliers hit tech companies the most when China imposed multiple lockdowns across key cities, resulting in the delay or total stop of production for days and weeks. This, followed by supply chain issues and China’s geo-political situation with the US made companies look for alternatives.
India and Vietnam seem to benefit the most from the situation as several companies look to partner with multiple supply chain partners in the respective countries. The Indian government is also offering incentives as part of the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) initiative for promoting local manufacturing and exporting products out of India.
Pixel 7a Production may happen in Vietnam only
Considering Google will shift bases for the production of its Pixel phones next year, the upcoming A-series phone from the company could be manufactured in Vietnam. Dubbed Pixel 7a, the affordable Pixel could be made completely in Vietnam as the manufacturing will not be as complex. Google is likely to remain the same design for the Pixel 7 and the Pixel 7a models. There is no official comment at the time of writing this.
Google Pixel 7: What We Know So Far
Google has confirmed that the Pixel 7 series is coming later this year. The company teased the design of its upcoming Pixel flagship phones. Based on the details teased, it is confirmed that the Pixel 7 series will get minor design tweaks. Google is also likely to retain the screen size and launch the phones with a 6.4-inch 90Hz display and a 6.7-inch 120Hz display. Both OLED panels will have a hole punch cutout but the 7 Pro’s screen will be curved.
The upcoming Pixel phones will also get a new Tensor chip, details of which will be announced at the event. Google will launch the Pixel phones with a 50MP main camera and a 12MP ultrawide camera. The 7 Pro will get an additional 48MP telephoto camera.
Both phones will run Android 13 out of the box and are expected to get at least four years of software support.
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