Deals
Google Is Close to Buying HTC Assets to Bolster Hardware
- Phone business has changed since Google jettisoned Motorola
- Features like augmented reality require more hardware control
Google Is Said to Eye HTC Assets
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Alphabet Inc.’s Google is close to acquiring assets from Taiwan’s HTC Corp., according to a person familiar with the situation, in a bid to bolster the internet giant’s nascent hardware business.
By owning a manufacturer, Google could gain tighter control over production of its new Pixel smartphone and other devices, helping it ramp up sales. Those gadgets are fast becoming the pillars of Google’s strategic push to keep critical software products, such as its voice-enabled assistant, in circulation, contain costs in its main advertising business and better compete with Apple Inc.