To “accelerate” Android XR development, Google announced this evening that it “signed an agreement to welcome some of the HTC VIVE engineering team to Google.”
In 2017, Google acquired a part of HTC’s smartphone business to build out the Pixel division. That saw around 2,000 HTC employees join Google for $1.1 billion. A similar situation is happening again.
Of the incoming team, Google says:
They are an incredibly strong technical team with a proven track record in the VR space, and we are looking forward to working with them to accelerate the development of the Android XR platform across the headsets and glasses ecosystem.
According to HTC, Google is paying US$250 million in cash for this acqui-hire. It is “subject to customary closing conditions” and expected to close in Q1 of 2025. Besides the software engineers, Google will “receive a non-exclusive license for HTC’s XR intellectual property (IP).” Additionally, “HTC and Google will explore future collaboration opportunities.”
HTC is not selling its Vive business to Google and will continue development on its existing product line. In September, the company announced the $999 Vive Focus Vision headset for enterprise and gaming.
This agreement reinforces HTC’s strategy of continued development around the XR ecosystem, enabling a more streamlined product portfolio focused on platforms, greater operational efficiency and financial flexibility. HTC’s commitment to delivering innovative VIVE XR solutions such as the VIVE Focus Vision remains unchanged, with existing product lines to be supported and developed without interruption.
—HTC press release (translated)
Google is getting employees, specifically those working on software since Android XR is focused on the operating system, with hardware coming from Samsung and other OEM partners.
This deal will grow Google’s presence in Taiwan. With multiple offices, the country is Google’s largest hardware engineering hub outside of the US.
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