A major suspicion at the time was that other Android OEMs were concerned about Google's production of their own hardware and potential ensuing favoritism. To this day, Google has branded phones (Pixel, etc.), but they aren't made by Google.

As an aside, my Moto X is still such a well-designed product.

Pixel is "made by Google." There's not a hint of supplier manufacturing anywhere on the device (save for the battery).

It looks like Google got mad at the suspicion and decided to make it flat-out true.

They're actually made by HTC. Would be interesting to know what their exact arrangement is.

I think they're made by HTC in the same way Apple's phones are made by Foxconn, which is the reason I used the "made by" in quotes.

As I think it's disingenuous to consider the Pixel another company's phone (like the Nexus line was)

The current suspicion is that the phone was almost entirely designed by HTC.

It appears that it was a phone that HTC had in the works, but then changed to the Pixel when Google rang.

The og Moto X is the best Android phone I have owned. I now have a Nexus 6 since the replacement screen I bought for it is no longer working. The Nexus 6 does not support trusted voice so coming from a Moto X that is a downgrade for me.

Same here. I'd still be using it if I hadn't decided to switch to fi.

I think they only bought it for the patents while they were involved in patent fights with Apple? They kept the patents and sold off the rest.

It wasn't very profitable and hurting the bottom line.