Google plans to cease production of Pixel smartphones, smartwatches, and wireless earbuds in China by 2027, accelerating its diversification into Vietnam amid US-China tensions and industry supply challenges.
Google is preparing to end production of Pixel smartphones, smartwatches and wireless earbuds in China from next year, according to Nikkei Asia, in a move that reflects how sharply US-China tensions have pushed major technology groups to spread manufacturing across several countries. The company has been building capacity in Vietnam and India for years, and the report said it now expects to shift all Pixel manufacturing out of China by 2027.
Vietnam has become central to that plan. Nikkei Asia said Google has already managed to develop and produce its higher-end Pixel phones there this year, a milestone that appears to have strengthened confidence in the 2027 target. Industry reports earlier this year also indicated that Google was moving much of the Pixel development pipeline, including the new product introduction process for flagship devices, to Vietnam, while leaving some work on the Pixel A-series in China for the time being.
If the transition is completed, Google would become only the second major smartphone maker after Samsung to remove all smartphone production from China. That would mark a significant reversal for a company whose devices have long depended on Chinese manufacturing, even though Google does not sell Pixel phones in China and therefore faces less commercial pressure to remain there, one source told Nikkei Asia.
Google is also trying to keep Pixel volumes growing despite a difficult component market. Nikkei Asia said the company has told suppliers it expects Pixel shipments to rise 8% to 10% this year, from about 12 million units last year, and is using combined chip orders for its cloud and handset businesses to strengthen its position in talks with Micron, Samsung and SK Hynix. That push comes as memory prices rise across the industry; Reuters has reported that Apple, Huawei and several Chinese brands have also been adjusting their outlooks, with Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo cutting forecasts while Apple has warned of higher chip costs.
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