Google has acquired skills and intellectual property from smartphone manufacturer HTC to boost its hardware agenda.
Rick Osterloh, Google’s senior vice-president of hardware, writes in a blog post that the move will fuel the hardware business’s product innovation in the years ahead.
“With this agreement, a team of HTC talent will join Google as part of the hardware organisation,” he says. “These future fellow Googlers are amazing folks we’ve already been working with closely on the Pixel smartphone line, and we’re excited to see what we can do together as one team.
“The deal also includes a non-exclusive license for HTC intellectual property.”
Google and HTC have worked together in past, having collaborated to launch the first Android smartphone, the HTC Dream; as well as the Nexus One in 2010, the Nexus 9 tablet in 2014, and the first Pixel smartphone last year.
“It’s still early days for Google’s hardware business,” Osterloh adds. “We’re focused on building our core capabilities, while creating a portfolio of products that offers people a unique yet delightful experience only made possible by bringing together the best of Google software – like the Google Assistant – with thoughtfully designed hardware.
“HTC has been a long-time partner and has created some of the most beautiful, high-end devices on the market.”
