LG Electronics has reportedly won a license to manufacture Google's flagship Android device, the Pixel 3, in the second quarter of 2018.

According to news reports in South Korea, which cited a memo from Yuanta Securities, Google named LG as its next partner to expand its hardware ecosystem, with the possibility of LG winning a contract to produce some Pixel handsets slated to debut next year.

Google's latest Pixel and Pixel XL were released last year and they had been manufactured by Taiwanese maker HTC.

LG has been investing in hardware manufacturing and its own production lines.

This is not the first time Google has teamed up with LG on hardware. In 2015, LG has manufactured Google's flagship reference series, the Nexus 5X.

LG Electronics refused to comment.

Samsung could also be an option for Google as an outsourcing partner.