Google announced that it has brought part of HTC Vive’s engineering team onboard to speed up its augmented and virtual reality projects. This move is seen as a crucial development for Google’s Android XR platform, which was unveiled last month. Here are the details!
Google’s Android XR Platform Gains Momentum!
Google’s Android XR platform is being developed as a standalone XR operating system and will be launched first with Samsung’s XR headset. In addition to Samsung, companies like Sony, Lynx, and Xreal also plan to adopt this platform. Other tech firms, including Play For Dream, have already outlined their future plans for Android XR.

Although Google and HTC didn’t disclose how many engineers the deal involves or whether it includes software or hardware engineering, Google officials stated, “HTC Vive’s technical team in the VR field has an incredibly strong background. We are looking forward to working with them to accelerate the development of the Android XR platform.”
This agreement is similar to Google’s 2017 move when it purchased part of HTC’s mobile device engineering team to improve the hardware development process for its Pixel smartphones.
Android XR aims to position itself closer to Apple’s VisionOS rather than directly competing with Meta’s Quest series. The company seeks to create an integrated ecosystem combining augmented and virtual reality, offering a flexible experience for mobile and PC users.
HTC’s VR expertise could give Google a significant advantage, particularly in hardware. However, it’s still unclear whether Google will focus the platform on gaming or business and productivity solutions.
Do you think Google’s move could shift the balance in the XR market? Don’t forget to share your thoughts in the comments!