In 2017, Google announced the acquisition of a portion of HTC's smartphone business for $1.1 billion. The purchase was aimed at boosting the development of the Android XR platform and enhancing the ecosystem for headsets and glasses.
HTC Vice President and General Counsel Lu Chia-te disclosed that as part of the deal, HTC granted Google a non-exclusive license to its intellectual property rights. In a move to focus on extended reality (XR) products, the Taiwan-based company revealed its $250 million agreement with Google for the sale of a segment of its business, along with the transfer of employees to Google.
The transaction, anticipated to be finalized in the first quarter of the current year, includes provisions for potential future collaborations between the two tech giants, as mentioned by HTC. This collaboration marks another significant development in the ongoing partnership between HTC and Google.
HTC reassured that despite the deal, it still maintains the freedom to utilize and innovate its technology without limitations or exclusivity constraints. Lu Chia-te emphasized that it's neither a complete buyout nor an exclusive licensing agreement, ensuring HTC's autonomy in further developing its technology.
