Following the debut of AndroidXR late last year, Google is investing quarter of a billion into HTC VIVE’s parent firm to drive XR developments
This week, following last month’s AndriodXR announcement and this week’s Samsung Moohan teasers, Google made a massive parrel move. The firm entered a definitive agreement with HTC VIVE, giving the leading XR firm a massive $250 million investment. In return, Google will gain valuable XR-related support from the headset vendor.
Notably, the move gives Google access to “certain HTC employees from its XR team” who will join Google to help the firm develop its own XR solutions. This move is huge for the industry. HTC has a storied history in the market, and with the meeting of minds between itself and Google, two giants of the technology industry, a new form of completion may arise.
The move seems to help Google build a new portfolio alongside the AndriodXR OS, which has the potential to revive the XR industry in the second half of the decade and advance its smart glasses future.
Moreover, the $250 million Google investment will give the firm additional access to a non-exclusive license for HTC’s XR intellectual property (IP). Together with the HTC XR experts, the firms note how the investment opens up “future collaboration opportunities.”
As of this writing, Google’s $250 million investment is subject to customary closing conditions, and closing is expected during the current quarter of 2025.
What a HTC/Google Unitifaction Mean?
According to the pair, the investment will allow Google to continue developing its recently debuted AndriodXR ecosystem. Firms such as Samsung, Magic Leap, Lynx, Sony, Qualcomm, and XREAL are already poised to support this effort.
Google’s investment also supports the firm significant investment in Taiwan as a key hub for VR/XR innovation and development.
HTC’s investment allows the headset vendor to double down on developing its XR ecosystem and streamlining its immersive product portfolio.
The $250 million investment will support HTC’s development of efficient and financially flexible XR platforms alongside pre-existing developments of its current hardware lineup.
More on AndriodXR
Late last year, AndroidXR was introduced as a new XR operating system. During the announcement, Google highlighted the role of Gemini AI assistants in enhancing user interactions with the headset and its visualizations. They also noted that built on a familiar Android foundation, the XR operating system can support a wide variety of existing mobile and tablet applications, as well as purpose-built Android XR content. This development addresses a significant barrier to the broader adoption of XR technology: users need access to a diverse range of applications and compelling services to justify investing in an XR device.
“We are opening a path for developing a wide array of Android XR devices to meet the diverse needs of people and businesses,” Google noted in an official press release.
Interestingly, the Android XR ecosystem is emerging as Meta promotes its Horizon OS and Apple introduces its visionOS. Google, along with its partners, is working to unite several key players in the Android XR ecosystem to provide a competitive alternative to the offerings from Apple and Meta.
The Android XR OS aims to enhance the future of AI, augmented reality, and virtual reality experiences on headsets and smart glasses. The current version of Android XR is in a preview stage for developers only, with a broader release expected in the future.
Additionally, developers who are currently exploring Android XR can start building their projects using familiar tools such as ARCore, Android Studio, Jetpack Compose, Unity, and OpenXR.
Announcements suggest that Google is testing prototype Android XR smart glasses with select users, focusing on privacy, flexibility, and opportunities. New updates will most likely shake up the 2025 market. If the HTC investment plays a part, this may come to light in the coming months.
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