Google buys HTC's mobile division for $1.1 billion

Google has just announced it has acquired HTC's mobile division in a deal worth $1.1 billion, which was expected after HTC announced it would briefly halt trading on the Taiwan stock exchange ahead of "material information" that was coming today.

Google hardware boss, Rich Osterloh, said about the deal: "These future fellow Googlers are amazing folks we've already been working with closely on the Pixel smartphone line, and we're excited to see what we can do together as one team. The deal also includes a non-exclusive license for HTC intellectual property".

HTC made both the Pixel and Pixel XL smartphone for Google last year, with the Taiwanese smartphone maker being a silent contractor. Google marketed the smartphones as if they were their own, without mentioning HTC. But this new deal means Google can better compete, very directly, against Samsung, Apple, LG, Huawei, and others that are industry heavyweights.

HTC has made the upcoming Pixel 2 smartphone, but the larger Pixel XL 2 was manufactured by LG.