Alphabet Google agrees US$1.1billion deal with HTC

To expand its smartphone business, Alphabet’s Google has agreed a US$1.1billion deal with HTC.

Struggling to compete with the likes of Apple and Samsung, the Taiwanese company was once a major player in the smartphone market.

Some HTC staff will be joining Google, although the Silicon Valley giant won’t take a stake in the firm.

Providing the firms get the all clear from regulators, Google expects the deal to close by the beginning of 2018.

Google’s vice president of hardware, Rich Osterloh, said in a blog post: “It’s still early days for Google’s hardware business.”

“These future fellow Googlers are amazing folks we’ve already been working with closely on the Pixel smartphone line.”

According to HTC, 50% of their smartphone research and development team, of around 2,000 people, will go to Google.

Written by Leah Alger

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