China could soon disappear from Google’s Pixel manufacturing map. The company reportedly plans to move production of all Pixel phones, smartwatches, and wireless earbuds out of China starting in 2027.
Nikkei Asia reported that Google has told suppliers to prepare for the shift, with Vietnam and India expected to take on the work. Google has not publicly confirmed the plan, which would expand both countries’ roles in its years-long effort to reduce Pixel manufacturing dependence on China.
Vietnam lays the groundwork for Google’s China exit
Google has spent years expanding Pixel production outside China. Nikkei reported that the company plans to move all Pixel device production out of the country starting in 2027.
The technical groundwork accelerated in January 2026, when Nikkei reported plans to shift new product introduction work for flagship Pixel phones to Vietnam while development of the lower-cost A-series remained in China at the time. New product introduction, or NPI, includes the process development, verification, and refinement required before mass production.
Google has already mass-produced high-end Pixel phones in Vietnam, according to the January reporting. The latest report says successful development and production there, including investments in testing equipment and tooling, increased Google’s confidence that it could move additional manufacturing out of China.
Vietnam is also taking on more advanced electronics work. Samsung Display reportedly began producing foldable OLED panels in Vietnam for Apple this year, adding to the country’s role in higher-value electronics manufacturing.
Google’s relatively small Pixel volumes could make the transition easier. Nikkei reported that the company shipped about 12 million Pixel phones in 2025 and asked suppliers to prepare for an 8% to 10% increase in 2026. The report also noted that Google does not officially sell Pixel phones in China.
India’s Pixel manufacturing role is already growing
Google announced plans in October 2023 to manufacture Pixel phones in India, starting with the Pixel 8 and working with international and domestic manufacturers.
By August 2024, Google had confirmed Made-in-India Pixel 8 production was underway. India has since become increasingly important to global electronics manufacturing, with suppliers such as Tata Electronics expanding their role in device production despite operational risks highlighted by a major supplier data breach in June.
The latest reporting does not specify how Google would divide Pixel phones, watches, and earbuds between India and Vietnam. Moving final device manufacturing out of China also would not eliminate every China-linked dependency, because components and materials can still flow through regional supply chains exposed to concentration around critical hardware inputs.
For hardware procurement and supply-chain teams, the shift could reduce geographic concentration in Google’s manufacturing network without eliminating upstream exposure to China. It also reflects the growing ability of India and Vietnam to handle more strategically important electronics production rather than basic assembly alone.
Google’s confirmation is the key missing piece. Until the company details its 2027 timetable and country-by-country production plans, the move out of Chinese Pixel manufacturing remains a reported strategy rather than a confirmed schedule.
Read more: Google’s manufacturing push comes as its hardware ambitions expand with the new Pixel 11 lineup and deeper Gemini integration, raising the stakes for the supply chain behind its flagship devices.
