C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Google is starting to shift the production of its phones to a new location.
- Some of its phones will continue to be made in China.
- A rumor suggests that one of the phones that will still be made in China is Google’s foldable phone.
Like most phone makers these days, Google is beginning to move its production operations out of China due to geopolitical tensions and disruptive factory shutdowns. However, it will continue to use Taiwan-based Foxconn for some of its phones, possibly including its anticipated foldable.
According to The New York Times, Google plans on having as much as half of its high-end phones coming out of Vietnam next year. However, the company will still need China for more complicated manufacturing, like what would be required for a foldable phone.
The NYT states, “Google is exploring a foldable phone for 2023,” and that foldable screen and hinge technology, “probably require production to be close to key suppliers in China.”
There have been numerous rumors swirling around about Google’s foldable project being canceled or postponed. However, a patent filed to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) for the device was published recently, showing that the phone could be a book-like foldable like the Galaxy Z Fold 4.
