President Tsai Ing-wen recently inaugurated Google's second R&D office in Taiwan. Google is intensifying its commitment to its device ecosystem by expanding its hardware R&D hub in Taiwan. The company already has data centers on the island and routes several of its undersea cables that connect the US and Asia through Taiwan.

In an interview with Nikkei Asia, Elmer Peng, vice president of hardware at Google, stated, "As of 2024, we've increased 20-fold the workforce in the past ten years in Taiwan, and our team continues to grow. ...We are really serious about building an ecosystem". By bolstering its hardware development resources in Taiwan, Google seeks to leverage the island's supply chain and skilled workforce.

Presently, Google already has a multinational team numbering in the thousands, tasked with the development of various products, including Pixel phones, Fitbit wearables, and Nest smart home devices. It is actively collaborating with component manufacturers for its next generation of device development, including semiconductors, image sensors, and displays. By expanding its hardware lineup, Google seeks to secure more users into its environment.

Why is this important?

Taiwan being the home to the largest Google hardware R&D center outside the US, underscores its significance in the global supply chain, enabled by its solid industrial growth and resilient supply chains amid the pandemic.