What you need to know
- Google to bring some HTC VIVE engineers on board to develop Android XR.
- The search giant has already collaborated with Samsung and Qualcomm to bring reality headsets and glasses.
- The company is now adding HTC’s expertise in the VR space by bringing in a strong technical team.
Last December, Google first introduced Android XR in partnership with Samsung and Qualcomm intending to bring Gemini-powered reality headsets and glasses.
Today (Jan 23), the search giant has announced (via 9to5Google) that it is accelerating the Android XR platform with a new agreement with HTC. It means the popular HTC VIVE engineering team, who are behind the VR space, will be joining hands with Google to create a headsets and glasses ecosystem under its Android XR platform, the company mentions in the announcement post.
Google also acknowledges HTC’s “strong technical team with a proven track record in the VR space, ” and their collaboration in building the reality space, which the search giant is currently expediting after investing in XR for over a decade now.
According to HTC’s press release, Google is paying the company a whopping $250 million to acquire certain members of the HTC XR team to join Google. This agreement is believed to “drive the growth” of the XR ecosystem altogether. “As part of the transaction, Google will receive a non-exclusive license for HTC’s XR intellectual property (IP),” the press note states.
Furthermore, HTC’s current commitment to delivering VIVE XR innovative solutions, including the VIVE Focus Vision, will remain unchanged. It means the existing product lines will be supported and developed without any interruption.
It isn’t the first time Google has acquired HTC employees for its in-house development of products. Back in 2017, Google and HTC announced a definitive agreement under which certain HTC mobile division employees were acquired to develop Pixel smartphones. HTC received $1.1 billion in cash as part of the agreement.
Regardless, the latest announcement comes after Samsung demonstrated its Android XR-powered mixed reality headset that comes under “Project Moohan” at Wednesday’s (Jan 22) Unpacked event, where the company announced the latest Galaxy S25 series. The headset is believed to be available for the masses later this year, per the previous announcement.