Google Inks $250 Million Deal With HTC for Its XR Resources

Google has inked a $250 million deal with HTC to acquire part of its XR business, with plans to incorporate it into Android XR.

Extended reality (XR) is of growing interest to multiple tech companies, with Google leading the way in blending AI and XR for a new generation of device.

Android XR will first launch on headsets that transform how you watch, work and explore. The first device, code named Project Moohan and built by Samsung, will be available for purchase next year.

With headsets, you can effortlessly switch between being fully immersed in a virtual environment and staying present in the real world. You can fill the space around you with apps and content, and with Gemini, our AI assistant, you can even have conversations about what you’re seeing or control your device. Gemini can understand your intent, helping you plan, research topics and guide you through tasks.

We’re also reimagining some of your favorite Google apps for headsets. You can watch YouTube and Google TV on a virtual big screen, or relive your cherished memories with Google Photos in 3D. You’ll be able to explore the world in new ways with Google Maps, soaring above cities and landmarks in Immersive View. And with Chrome, multiple virtual screens will let you multitask with ease. You can even use Circle to Search to quickly find information on whatever’s in front of you, with just a simple gesture.

Plus, because it’s Android, your favorite mobile and tablet apps from Google Play will work right out of the box, with even more apps, games and immersive content made for XR arriving next year.

Google announced its deal with HTC in a blog post:

We’ve been investing in XR for more than a decade, and just last month introduced the Android XR platform with our strategic industry partners. Today we signed an agreement to welcome some of the HTC VIVE engineering team to Google, which is subject to customary closing conditions. 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.

Although Google does not mention a price tag, TechCrunch says the company paid HTC some $250 million. As the outlet points out, this is the second deal between the two companies, with Google buying some of HTC’s smartphone business in 2017 for $1.1 billion.

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