Google is reported to be moving ahead with plans to shift all Pixel hardware production out of China by 2027.
The tech giant has in the past made its Pixel phones and watches, as well as earbuds, in China – but that will change in 2026, with Google notifying suppliers that the manufacturing of those devices will be moved out of China into Vietnam and India, as per a recent report by Nikkei Asia.
Sources confirm that Google is going to be better placed to shift production out of China compared to tech rival Apple since Pixel devices are not directly sold in the Chinese market, and it is also quite a small customer base of smartphone users, according to the report.
In January 2026, Nikkei Asia reported that Google intended to develop and manufacture Pixel 11 gadgets in Vietnam exclusively, which would require funding for testing equipment and tooling machines. The latest report said that the success of that process inspired Google to ramp up manufacturing when it comes to other Pixel devices in Vietnam.
It is worth noting that Google has reportedly informed suppliers it plans to ship 8% to 10% more Pixel phones in 2026, as compared to 12 million of the handsets shipped in 2025.
The fact is that the boost in production comes as Google has tried to encourage consumer use when it comes to Gemini artificial intelligence – AI tools.
If Google goes ahead with Pixel hardware production out of China by 2027, it would be the latest to shift smartphone production from China after Samsung. Samsung’s manufacturing operations shifted out of China over the course of a year, ending in 2019 with most of its factories now operational in Vietnam and India.
Interestingly, the AI buildout of data centers along with cloud services is also creating a persistent shortage of memory chips, which is hurting companies across the technology industry.
Google has apparently tried to solve that problem by bundling orders for phone memory chips with those for its AI and cloud units.
This way the company can strengthen its bargaining position with key suppliers of memory chips that can translate into favorable conditions for its memory chip acquisitions throughout its business lines.