Google Goes Aggressive to Win Smartphone Market From Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi

The Google app is seen on a smartphone in this illustration taken on July 13, 2021. Dado Ruvic/Reuters

Google has asked suppliers to produce over 7 million of its upcoming Pixel 6 smartphones, double its entire phone shipments year-on-year, Nikkei Asia reports.

The move marks Google’s attempts to grab market share from Huawei Technologies and ride a post-pandemic recovery in demand.

Google aims explicitly to win market share from the top three smartphone makers, Apple Inc., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., and Xiaomi Corp. They have gained at Huawei’s expense.

Google also asked suppliers to build over 5 million of its budget Pixel 5A phones showcased this spring. Its total smartphone shipments last year came to just 3.7 million, IDC said.

Google is working on a new generation of the Pixelbook notebook computer that runs on Google’s ChromeOS.

The Pixel 6 will remain in China after the pandemic disrupted Google’s plans to move to northern Vietnam.

Google told suppliers that its position as the only U.S. maker of Android smartphones would help it boost business at home, in Europe, and Japan.

Price Action

Google shares traded higher by 0.54 percent at $2,874 in the market session on the last check Tuesday.

By Anusuya Lahiri