A range of HTC employees will join Google under a US$1.1 billion (AUD$1.4 billion) deal by the search leviathan to boost its hardware development efforts.
Google and HTC revealed details of the agreement today, which will also involves a non-exclusive licence for HTC intellectual property.
Many of the employees moving to Google have already been working on its Android-based Pixel smartphones, the companies said.
“HTC has been a long-time partner of Google and has created some of the most beautiful, premium devices on the market,” said Google’s senior vice-president of hardware, Rick Osterloh.
“We're excited and can't wait to welcome members of the HTC team who will be joining Google to fuel further innovation and future product development in consumer hardware,” the Google executive said in a statement.
The deal is expected to close by early next year. It is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.
Late last year Google unveiled its ‘Made by Google’ hardware, including its Pixel handsets as well as Chromecast Ultra dongle, Daydream View VR headset, Google Home and Google Wifi.
The company will launch its second generation of Made by Google products early next month.
“We’re excited about the 2017 lineup, but even more inspired by what’s in store over the next five, 10, even 20 years,” Osterloh wrote in a blog entry.
“Creating beautiful products that people rely on every single day is a journey, and we are investing for the long run.”
“That’s why we’ve signed an agreement with HTC, a leader in consumer electronics, that will fuel even more product innovation in the years ahead,” Osterloh wrote.
“With this agreement, a team of HTC talent will join Google as part of the hardware organization. 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.”