Google has struck a $1.1bn deal with Taiwan’s HTC to expand its smartphone business.

　　谷歌为拓展其智能手机业务与台湾HTC达成了一项11亿美元的合同。

　　Google will not take a stake in the firm, but some HTC staff will join the Silicon Valley giant.

　　谷歌不持有该公司的股份，但部分HTC员工将归属于谷歌公司。

　　The Taiwanese company was once a major player in the smartphone market but has struggled to compete with the likes of Apple and Samsung.

　　台湾的HTC公司曾经是智能手机市场的主要供应商，但相比苹果和三星公司，HTC市场较小，无法与其竞争。

　　Google expects the deal to close by early 2018, provided it gets the all clear from regulators.

　　在监管机构把所有条款弄清的基础上，谷歌预计本次交易将于2018年初完成。

　　The deal marks the latest move by Google to boost its hardware capabilities.

　　本次交易标志着谷歌为提升其硬件功能所采取的最新举措。

　　It’s still early days for Google’s hardware business, the firm’s senior vice-president of hardware Rick Osterloh said in a blog post on Google’s website.

　　“目前谷歌的硬件业务还处于起步阶段，”该公司高级副总裁Rick Osterloh在谷歌网站上的一篇博文中说。

　　Under the deal, Google will acquire a team of people who develop Pixel smartphones for the US company and receive a non-exclusive license for HTC’s intellectual property.

　　根据协议，谷歌将获得HTC为美国公司开发Pixel智能手机的团队，同时获取HTC知识产权的非独家授权。

　　It builds on an existing partnership between the two tech companies.

　　当然合同的签署是建立在两家科技公司现有的伙伴关系之上。

　　These future fellow Googlers are amazing folks we’ve already been working with closely on the Pixel smartphone line, Mr Osterloh said.

　　Osterloh表示:“这些未来的谷歌员工都精明能干，因为他们早就在进行Pixel智能手机的研发。”

　　According to HTC half their smartphone research and development team - about 2,000 people - will go to Google.

　　根据HTC统计，他们的智能手机研发团队的一半—大约2000人将会去谷歌。

　　Google knows this disconnect between its software and hardware is a massive problem. And so this curious deal with HTC, which falls short of the rumoured buyout, is about solving that problem. If it can have close control over key premium devices, it can be more ambitious with its software.

　　谷歌意识到自己软件和硬件之间的脱节矛盾日益突出。因此为解决这个问题，谷歌公司与HTC签订了这份看似奇怪的合同，甚至被人误解为是对HTC公司的收购。如果谷歌公司能够严格的控制其关键的高端作用，那么谷歌的软件可能会发挥出更大的价值。

　　In some respects, this $1.1bn deal is like a good friend lending their pal a few quid to tide them over for a while. HTC needs Google’s money to keep going. And Google needs HTC’s expertise and manufacturing capability to remain competitive with its mobile devices.

　　在一定意义上看，这笔11亿美元的交易就像一个好朋友借给他的穷哥们几英镑一样来让他们度过危机。HTC需要谷歌的投资来继续发展运行，谷歌也需要HTC的专业知识和制造能力，以保持其在移动设备上的竞争力。

　　The deal marks Google’s second major foray into smartphone manufacturing. In 2011 Google bought Motorola’s Mobility for $12.5bn, only to sell it on three years later.

　　这笔交易是谷歌进军智能手机制造业的第二次重大尝试。2011年，谷歌以125亿美元的价格收购了摩托罗拉的移动业务，但三年后又将其售出。

　　Geoff Blaber from CCS Insight said while the HTC deal might "raise eyebrows" given Google’s history with Motorola, it will give the firm valuable design and engineering resources.

　　来自CCS Insight的Geoff Blaber说，考虑到谷歌收购摩托罗拉后的发展过程，很多人可能会对本次交易感到不可理喻，但实际上HTC公司确实能够为谷歌提供宝贵的设计资源和工程经验。

　　The far bigger risk for Google would be to stand by and do nothing as hardware becomes an all-important means to an end for its core business, Mr Blaber said.

　　“最为危险的就是谷歌无动于衷，什么都不做，毕竟硬件的发展已经成为发展其核心业务的至关重要的途径，”Blaber说。

　　But the big winner is HTC.

　　但最大的赢家是HTC。

　　It’s a much needed investment as HTC struggles to maintain its smartphone business and grow its early start in virtual reality, he added.

　　他补充说道“因为HTC在努力维护其智能手机市场，并希望能够在虚拟现实中尽快起步并有所建树，因此他们非常需要谷歌的投资。”