Google is reportedly considering to acquire the struggling Taiwan-based smartphone maker HTC’s smartphone business.
Google is considering two options to seal the deal with HTC that is reportedly building Google’s Pixel 2 line of smartphones.
Google is planning to either become a strategic partner, or outright buy the entire smartphone unit, according to a report in the Chinese publication Commercial Times.
HTC’s virtual reality business (HTC Vive) would not be part of the deal.
HTC, which was once very popular in the US smartphone market, has not done well for quite some time even after launching flagship devices.
HTC said it revenue for the month of August was NT$3 billion or about $99.69 million, the lowest in 13 years. HTC revenue dipped 51.5 percent from last month dropped by 54.3 percent against August last year.
HTC has manufactured the Google Pixel and Pixel XL devices.
If the deal materializes, it would be the second such acquisition after Google’s $12.5 billion buyout of Motorola in 2012. The Internet search giant later sold off Motorola to Lenovo for $2.91 billion in 2014.
In July, HTC unveiled its premium flagship smartphone HTC U11 in India at Rs 51,990 which is touted to have the highest-rated smartphone camera in the world.
When BlackBerry was up for sale, there were rumors that Google would be looking for the assets of the Canadian smartphone maker.
