Google aims to double smartphone output with new Pixel 6

U.S. tech giant bets it can woo users with in-house chips, better camera and security promises

20211019 google pixel 6

Google has high hopes for the Pixel 6 as it is the first smartphone powered by its in-house mobile processor. (Source photo by Google/Kyodo and Getty Images)

CHENG TING-FANG, LAULY LI and YIFAN YU, Nikkei staff writers

TAIPEI/PALO ALTO, U.S. -- Google has asked suppliers to produce more than 7 million of its newly-announced Pixel 6 smartphones -- double its entire phone shipments last year -- as the U.S. software giant attempts to grab market share from Huawei Technologies and ride a post-pandemic recovery in demand.

Sources told Nikkei Asia that Google is attempting to capitalize on its position as the only U.S. maker of smartphones running on the Android operating system. The company has also asked suppliers to build over 5 million of its budget Pixel 5A phones unveiled this spring, the sources said. Its total smartphone shipments last year came to just 3.7 million, according to IDC.

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