Google Pixel 3 Is Coming Next Year, And Phone Makers Are Already Fighting Over It
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HTC scored a two-year manufacturing deal for Google’s Pixel phones, which means this year’s Pixel 2 handsets will also be HTC creations. However, a new report indicates that various phone makers, HTC included, are already fighting for orders of the Google Pixel 3 series of phones that will be launched in 2018.
The news comes from Asia, where Chinese-language Commercial Times reported that HTC, LG, TCL, and Coolpad are competing for next-gen Pixel orders, according to Digitimes.
LG appears to be the likely winner for Pixel 3 orders, the report said, with orders expected to reach five million units next year.
The same report notes that the Pixel 2 family of products, due in 2017, will be made by HTC. Google a few weeks ago confirmed that a Pixel 2 generation is in the making, and it’s supposed to launch in fall. The phones will continue to be premium devices, as Google is determined to compete against Apple, Samsung, and others in this particular market segment.
HTC already shipped more than 2.1 million Pixel and Pixel XL devices since last September, the report notes. Google had a tough time meeting demand for the Pixel, a widely appreciated device by fans, and things aren’t getting any better.
HTC will make two versions of the Pixel 2, with the Chinese paper confirming the Muskie and Walleye codenames that leaked a few weeks ago directly from Google’s forums. Interestingly, a report a few days ago said Google might be working on a third phone for a 2017 launch, although it might not be a Pixel-branded device. Digitimes makes no mention of a third Google phone for this year.
