Google plans to shift Pixel production from China, eyes shipment growth despite rising DRAM costs

According to a report from Nikkei Asia, Google has told suppliers that it plans to move all Pixel smartphones, watches, and earbuds manufacturing out of China by 2027, shifting production to Vietnam and India. The move likely stems from ongoing US-China trade tensions and would make Google the second major smartphone brand, after Samsung, to fully decouple its production from China.

Google reportedly gained confidence in the timeline after successfully producing high-end Pixel phones in Vietnam this year and entrusting the country with the complex "New Product Introduction" (NPI) phase. This allows flagship devices such as the Pixel 11 Pro to be built there from scratch, a process more complicated than manufacturing Pixel Watches or Pixel Buds. The source also noted that Google faces less pressure than Apple to exit China because Pixel phones are not sold in the Chinese market, while Samsung's existing supply chain infrastructure in Vietnam gives Google a path to follow.

Google has also told suppliers that it expects Pixel shipments to grow by 8 to 10 percent this year compared with 2025's roughly 12 million units, despite rising memory chip costs. To improve its negotiating position with Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix, Google has reportedly bundled memory orders for its cloud and AI businesses with smartphone chip orders.