Google is making a change to the development and production of high-end Pixel models
Google is reportedly planning to make a big change to Pixel development and production.
The first Pixel I owned was the Pixel 2 XL, a model that many consider to be the greatest Pixel of all time. A fantastic rear mounted fingerprint scanner unlocked the device in a jiff, and Google's computational photography was masterful. You might recall that the Pixel 2 series had a few bugs just after it was released, but I was lucky and purchased the phone after Google had ironed all of this out.
My next Pixel was the 6 Pro, one of the first phones to use AI in different ways such as with the Magic Eraser. I could complain about the crappy Exynos 5123 modem or the optical under screen fingerprint scanner that lags to this day. Yet, I still use my Pixel 6 Pro more often than my iPhone 15 Pro Max. Having Gemini as my full-time assistant is one reason why.
Google will pull development and manufacturing of high-end Pixel models out of China
The Pixel 6 series also included AI-based features that Apple copied in iOS 26 from Google, such as Hold for Me. The latter is the feature that debuted on the Pixel 6 that allows the Google Assistant (now Gemini) to monitor a call so you can do other things while on hold and receive an alert when the other party returns to the call. This is known as Hold Assist om the iPhone. Apple's Call Screening is similar to the Pixel's Call Screen which weeds out callers not on your contacts list to find out their reason for calling and passes it on to you. Armed with that info, you can decide whether to take the call or not.
Since the Pixel 6 line, Google has been able to make small changes to the major design feature that started with that series. That would be the horizontal rear camera bar. Interestingly, Apple added a rear horizontal camera mount for the iPhone 17 Pro models last year.
Talking with sources familiar with Google's intentions, Nikkei Asia says that the Alphabet unit will start developing and manufacturing high-end Pixel devices in Vietnam this year. Google already has a number of suppliers that it calls on in that region to assemble its products including Pixel smartphones. While New Product Introductions (NPI) for the Pixel, Pixel Pro and Pixel Fold will take place in Vietnam instead of China, the report says that development of the budget Pixel A series will remain in China.
New high end Pixel models coming in August
The report calls the NPI phase a critical one for the development of new phones as it includes process development, verification, and refinement. Since Google already mass-produces some high-end handsets in Vietnam, it should be able to build new Pixel models from scratch in the country.
Next month, the Pixel 10a is expected to be released on February 27th. In August, we could see Google release the first models developed from scratch and manufactured in Vietnam such as the Pixel 11 ("cubs"), Pixel 11 Pro ("grizzly"), Pixel 11 Pro XL ("kodiak"), and the Pixel 11 Pro Fold ("yogi"). All four models will be powered by the Tensor 6 application processor.
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