In a significant move, Google has decided to bolster its XR capabilities by acquiring a group of talented engineers from HTC, at a cost of $250 million. This strategic investment aims to “accelerate the development of the Android XR platform across the headsets and glasses ecosystem,” according to the company.
The announcement comes on the heels of Google introducing its Android XR platform last month, marking a pivotal change in the tech landscape. Samsung is expected to be the first to bring a headset running on this new platform to the market. While the introduction of Android XR sparked a buzz, there are still lingering questions about Google’s dedication to long-term projects in the XR space, especially given its history with ventures like Google Daydream, which didn’t quite pan out as intended.
Delving deeper, Google’s commitment to the XR world can be traced back to its early efforts, including the now-defunct Google Daydream in 2016. Although there’s cautious optimism about Google’s renewed focus, the tech giant is known for retiring projects that don’t meet its rigorous internal benchmarks.
The new deal with HTC is reminiscent of a previous agreement in 2017, when Google spent a hefty $1.1 billion to bring a substantial part of HTC’s smartphone innovation team in-house. This past deal signaled a strategic shift for HTC, which later combined its smartphone and VR units, placing greater emphasis on the XR sector.
What this latest acquisition means for HTC’s current trajectory remains somewhat ambiguous. Based in Taoyuan, Taiwan, HTC continues to produce high-end XR headsets aimed at enterprise users and tech enthusiasts. Their recent Vive Focus Vision headset, priced at $1,000, combines features from both the Vive Focus 3 (2021) and the Vive Elite XR (2023), showing HTC’s ongoing commitment to innovation in the XR space.
Despite these advancements, HTC has also ventured outside the XR domain occasionally. In 2018, they introduced the HTC Exodus 1, a crypto-centric smartphone. This move was followed by the release of a home-focused 5G hub in 2019, capitalizing on the initial excitement around 5G technology. However, neither of these products are currently available, leaving observers wondering what’s next for HTC in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.
