In a move poised to shake up the tech landscape, Google has made a significant acquisition of HTC’s XR engineering team. This strategic move aims to “accelerate the development of the Android XR platform across the headsets and glasses ecosystem,” as outlined by the company.
The recent launch of Android XR by Google marks a pivotal moment, especially with Samsung potentially leading the charge as the first to integrate this platform into its new headset. However, while there’s undeniable excitement about renewed competition in the consumer XR space, it does bring to the fore some skepticism about Google’s long-term commitment. Such doubts aren’t unfounded, given Google’s history of launching and subsequently shelving various projects, including Google Daydream – their 2016 attempt at breaking into XR.
Reflecting on the past, Google recently announced an agreement with HTC to bring on board a group of their XR engineers. Details about the agreement are still emerging, but this move likely taps into HTC’s renowned hardware expertise, providing Google with a stronger foothold in today’s competitive XR landscape.
“We’ve been investing in XR for more than a decade,” Google stated. “Having just released the Android XR platform in collaboration with our strategic partners, today we’re pleased to welcome some of the HTC VIVE engineering team to Google, pending standard closing conditions. They bring a wealth of experience from the VR world, and we’re excited about the prospects their expertise will bring in advancing the Android XR platform for headsets and glasses.”
Interestingly, this isn’t Google’s first foray into securing HTC’s top talent. Back in 2017, Google invested substantially, $1.1 billion to be precise, to acquire HTC’s smartphone engineering team. This financial move seemed to underscore HTC’s shift towards focusing more heavily on its XR ambitions, especially when it integrated its smartphone and VR divisions a year later.
The specifics of Google’s latest deal remain under wraps for now, leaving many curious about HTC’s future direction. Known for its high-end XR headsets for enterprise and prosumer markets, HTC’s most recent release is the Vive Focus Vision. This standalone mixed reality headset, priced at $1,000, combines specifications from the Vive Focus 3 and Vive Elite XR lines.
Despite dabbling in several non-XR product categories in the past, HTC has struggled to establish a robust foothold. Notable past efforts include the HTC Exodus 1 blockchain phone in 2018 and a forward-thinking at-home 5G hub in 2019. Both rode their initial waves of excitement but are no longer available from the company. Where HTC ventures next remains a topic of great interest, and we’ll just have to stay tuned.
