Google will start developing and manufacturing high-end smartphones in Vietnam this year. The tech giant already has a large network of suppliers in Vietnam that assemble its products, including Pixel smartphones. Google will begin new product introductions (NPI) for its Pixel, Pixel Pro, and Pixel Fold phones in Vietnam, with development of the lower-end Pixel A series remaining in China for now.
NPI encompasses the development, verification, and fine-tuning of production processes. According to Nikkei, it is the most critical phase when a company launches a new electronic device. Hundreds of engineers from the company and its suppliers are involved, and significant investments in test equipment and tooling are required to ensure that a new design can be manufactured according to specifications, it states.
Google already mass-produces high-end smartphones in Vietnam and conducts some verification there, so building new phones from scratch in the country should be achievable, the report said.
This move Google come at a time when the technology industry is facing increasing uncertainties regarding customs policy under the Trump administration. It has repeatedly caused significant turbulence and uncertainty in the supply chain since April 2025. For this reason, Apple has also expanded its capacities in India and Vietnam.
“If Google and Apple successfully develop smartphones outside of China, it would be a major success in their efforts to shift production away from the world's largest manufacturing power, as it would represent a significant improvement in supply chain networks and capacities outside of China,” Nikkei writes.
See What’s Next in Tech With the Fast Forward Newsletter
Tweets From @varindiamag
Nothing to see here - yet
When they Tweet, their Tweets will show up here.
