Google Didn't Make The Pixel Smartphone, This Company Did
The company's name wasn't mentioned in the Pixel launch event.
By John Lim — 06 Oct 2016, 06:01 PM
Google has officially launched its much talked about line of smartphones - Pixel and Pixel XL - at a special event in San Francisco on Tuesday, 4 October
Both devices boast 4GB of RAM, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor, a fingerprint sensor, and a 12MP rear-facing camera. With the new smartphones, Google is taking on Apple's iPhone 7.
The California-based company claimed that the new devices were "designed and built by Google". The thing is, everything in the Pixel and Pixel XL is manufactured by HTC, not Google.
Jeff Gordon, Senior Global Online Communications Manager at HTC confirmed to tech website Phone Arena via e-mail that the Pixel and Pixel XL were built by the Taiwanese phone manufacturer HTC.
But why didn't Google utter a single word about HTC during the launch event?
Google and HTC's relationship dates back to the original Android phone and the first Nexus phone, the Nexus One. However, while the Nexus One featured HTC's logo on the back (in addition to Google's logo), the Pixel and Pixel XL bear no trace of HTC branding whatsoever.
The main reason there isn't a trace of HTC branding on the devices is because Google is in charge of everything, save for the manufacturing process.
"There is no HTC branding because this is a Google phone that brings together premium hardware by multiple partners to serve a best in class software experience for users," said a Google spokesman.
What does HTC have to say about the "silent treatment" given by Google?
According to CNET, HTC was more than happy to be part of the project and couldn't ask for anything else.
"We're proud that when Google needed an industry-leading partner for the Pixel, HTC was the clear answer," said HTC spokesman Jeff Gordon.
