Google Buys HTC’s Vive VR Team for $250 Million

Google has invested $250 million to acquire part of HTC's team that specializes in developing the Vive virtual reality technology.

Tech Titan Google Partners with HTC

Boom! Tech giant Google has inked a $250 million cash deal with VR pioneer HTC. This partnership aims to bolster Google’s Android XR initiatives and will incorporate some of HTC’s exceptionally skilled technical team, renowned for their expertise in virtual reality.

In 2016, HTC CEO Cher Wang revealed that the HTC Vive had sold over 140,000 units. By 2023, HTC continued focusing on the professional and VR Enterprise markets with the Focus 3, though it has not released exact sales figures for its consumer VR headset lines. An internal presentation leaked in March 2023 highlighted that Meta sold nearly 20 million Quest headsets since its 2019 launch, including the Quest, Quest 2, and Quest Pro models.

A Mutually Beneficial Alliance

Under this agreement, Google will gain a non-exclusive license to use HTC’s extended reality technologies. However, HTC retains the right to its intellectual properties and remains committed to the development and support of its XR headsets. This collaboration isn’t just financially driven but also aimed at exploring future collaborative opportunities.

A Unified Vision for Android XR

Google stated that this deal would enable it to “accelerate across the ecosystem of headsets and glasses”. Last December, the company unveiled its vision for a unified Android XR ecosystem, which would include a variety of virtual and mixed reality headsets. The first Android XR devices, including a joint project with Samsung named Project Moohan, are expected to debut this year.

A Promising and Imminent Conclusion

The agreement between Google and HTC is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to finalize in this first quarter. With this partnership, Google reaffirms its ambition to become a key player in the virtual and augmented reality arena.