HTC is today less a smartphone manufacturer (even if it still has some nice leftovers) than a manufacturer of mixed reality headsets with its Vive brand. The company has become one of the specialists in the genre, with expertise recognized even by its peers: Google will thus welcome HTC employees to strengthen the teams responsible for the development of Android XR.
New blood for Android XR
Android XR is the new version of Android dedicated to mixed reality devices. Unveiled last December, this OS is still in gestation; a first headset, the Moohan project, designed with Samsung, should be released during the year while waiting for other devices to join it. Smart glasses are also in the works, again with Samsung.
Google has written a check for $250 million for a number of HTC employees to join its ranks. Google also obtains, on a non-exclusive basis, a license to exploit HTC's intellectual property concerning XR technology. Despite this agreement, HTC will continue to offer its Vive solutions, like the Vive XR Elite that we had not appreciated much.
On Google's side, this injection of new blood should give a boost to the Android XR platform in the ecosystem of XR headsets and glasses. "The transfer to Google of a strong technical team with a proven track record in the field of VR and VR builds on Google's significant investment in Taiwan, a key hub for innovation and technology," the web giant added.
Source: HTC
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