Google’s recent decision to bring on board several XR engineers from HTC is a significant step towards advancing the Android XR platform within the landscape of headsets and glasses. This move is part of the company’s broader strategy to keep pace with the rapidly evolving XR market, where players like Samsung are gearing up to launch headsets powered by Android XR. While there’s certainly a buzz around familiar companies entering the consumer XR arena, it’s hard to ignore the persistence of doubts about Google’s ongoing commitment to such initiatives.
Reflecting on Google’s past ventures, it’s no secret that the tech giant has a history of pulling the plug on experimental projects—Google Daydream, launched in 2016, being a case in point. Despite these concerns, Google’s recent exclusive with Road to VR offered some reassurance, though skepticism remains due to the list of products and services the company has discontinued over the years.
As Google cements its agreement with HTC, information is scant concerning the finer points of this collaboration. It’s clear, though, that Google is likely seeking to harness HTC’s expertise in hardware to forge a stronger footing in today’s XR environment. In a statement, Google emphasized its decade-long investment in XR and the recent introduction of the Android XR platform in partnership with key industry figures. They highlighted the competence and proven track record of the incoming HTC VIVE engineering team in the VR space and their eagerness to integrate these new team members to expedite development across headsets and glasses.
Interestingly, this isn’t Google’s first foray into snapping up HTC’s engineering prowess. Back in 2017, Google invested a substantial amount—$1.1 billion—to acquire HTC’s smartphone engineers. HTC subsequently merged its smartphone and VR divisions, signaling a shift towards solidifying its XR ambitions.
What remains less clear is HTC’s future direction. The company, based in Taoyuan, Taiwan, currently focuses on creating XR headsets for professional and enterprise users. Their latest offering, the Vive Focus Vision, is a standalone mixed reality headset priced at $1,000, combining specs from earlier models like the Vive Focus 3 and Vive Elite XR.
Although HTC has experimented with products outside the XR domain, success has been elusive. In 2018, they unveiled the HTC Exodus 1, a blockchain-centric phone, followed by an at-home 5G hub in 2019 to capitalize on 5G’s initial hype. However, these products have since been discontinued. As the situation evolves, we’re left to watch and see where HTC and Google’s paths will lead next in the XR space.
