Google seems to leveraging existing relationships, as it seeks to push forward with its plans for to be a mobile manufacturer. The company recently confirmed that it will be purchasing a portion of HTC's mobile division, in a deal reported to cost Google up to $1.1 billion. Google and HTC have worked together for the past few years now, with the pair’s most notable release to date being the Pixel smartphone, which the Taiwanese manufacturer handled the hardware for.

The move makes a lot of sense for both companies. Google is aiming to take on the likes of Apple and Samsung with its mobile devices, and having a seasoned team familiar with the way they like to do business, will mean a smoother progression into this latest phase. For HTC, mobile has become less of a major focus in recent years, with the Vive and VR technology taking prominence.

That said, HTC has noted that it will continue to make smartphones like the U11 in future, but how long that will last remains to be seen, especially as the company's worldwide visibility has dropped of late.

Shifting back to the deal, it is believed that roughly 2000 HTC employees will be integrated into the Google fold. "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," notes Rick Osterloh, senior VP of Hardware at Google.

"We’re excited about the 2017 lineup, but even more inspired by what’s in store over the next five, 10, even 20 years. Creating beautiful products that people rely on every single day is a journey, and we are investing for the long run," Osterloh concludes.