If, 200 years from now in a post-apocalyptic world bereft of internet access, someone found a Google Pixel phone in mint condition, they’d struggle to discover it was made by HTC.
A new iFixit teardown of the Pixel XL handset, outed by Google earlier this month, offers “almost zero evidence of this phone’s HTC manufacturing origin.”
Without acknowledgement of the manufacturing partner on the outside of the device, Google has also done a pretty good job of hiding HTC’s involvement on the inside.
The only place you’ll see an HTC logo is on the battery pack.
Related: Google Pixel vs Pixel XL: Is bigger better?
HTC says it was proud to build the phone for Google, but given the positive reviews offered to the Google Pixel, the firm could really have used some of the credit.
Even more unfortunately for HTC, whose smartphone sales are falling considerably, this happens to be the most fixable smartphone it has ever made, according to iFixit.
In that department, it gets a 6/10 rating (via 9to5Google).
Elsewhere another destructive look at the Pixel handset from JerryRigs, has revealed the front speaker grill is actually made from cloth and can be punctured. Be careful, folks.
The Google Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones, both made by HTC, are available now.
Google Pixel Phones hands on
Have you snapped up a Pixel phone yet? Share your personal reviews in the comments below.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
