HTC Expected to Make 'Major Announcement' on Thursday, Google Acquisition Speculated

Taiwanese maker HTC is expected to make a major announcement on Thursday, according to several reports. It is widely expected that HTC may finally reveal Google acquisition wherein the search engine giant will buy HTC's smartphone business while Taiwanese company will exist with its Vive virtual reality headset business.

Bloomberg's Tim Culpan citing Taiwan Stock Exchange claimed that HTC shares will halt trading on Thursday as the company is expected to make a major announcement. Another Taiwanese site also expects Google to take over HTC's mobile phone business.

Corroborating such an announcement, prolific tipster Evan Blass added that Google may acquire certain engineering assets but HTC will retain its brand. Blass cited an internal invitation from HTC to its employees for Thursday Town Hall meeting.

An earlier report claimed that Google is either considering becoming a strategic partner or buying the entire smartphone business of HTC.

Recent reports have been suggesting that the Pixel 2 is being manufactured by HTC and could sport a "squeezable frame" like the HTC U11. Google has previously worked with HTC for its Nexus 9 tablet back in 2014, as well as other devices.

Google, this year, is said to be working with HTC and LG for its Pixel smartphones. If the smartphone business news comes out to be true, this will be Google's second smartphone business acquisition after Motorola. One of the reasons why the HTC acquisition makes sense now for Google as it entered smartphone business with its "Made by Google" campaign last year for Pixel smartphones, and the buyout may help the company in manufacturing phones at a better margin.

We will, however, have to wait for HTC's announcement on Thursday which will clear the air whether Google will acquire its smartphone business, and whether HTC will keep its brand for Vive VR headsets.