Google strikes deal with HTC

To expand the smarphone base, Google signs deal with Taiwan-based HTC worth $1.1 billion to acquire 2,000 HTC employees who worked on Google's Pixel smartphone. However, HTC will continue onward with its own smartphone business but without acquired employees who will join the Google hardware team. Google is also getting a non-exclusive license for HTC’s intellectual property. The deal is expected to close by early 2018.