The launch of the Pixel 2 isn’t expected until late Q3, but a new report out of China claims that manufacturers are already vying for Google’s attention to build next year’s Pixel 3. According to the report, HTC, LG, TCL, and Coolpad are looking to secure the Pixel 3 contract which is expected to be for 5 million units.
There’s no indication as to how much the contract is worth, but the report claims that HTC has shipped 2.1 million Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones since the devices went on sale in September of 2016. The Pixel phones are still in high demand, especially considering that they are not available for purchase in many countries across Europe. It wouldn’t be surprising if HTC shipped 3 to 3.5 million units of the Pixel and Pixel XL before the Pixel 2 makes its debut.
LG appears to have the upper hand in negotiations for the Pixel 3, but Google could decide to stick with HTC if the company can find a way to increase production of the Pixel to meet current demand while also delivering an impeccable Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2. Losing the contract would be devastating for HTC since the company has struggled to keep its head above water. There are high hopes for the upcoming HTC U which is expected to make its debut in late April, but HTC’s 2017 flagship isn’t expected to sell in huge quantities unless it invest heavily in marketing or undercuts the competition by selling the phone for $650 of less.
Source: Digitimes
