Google essentially buys human beings in $1.1 billion HTC agreement

By Brian Fagioli

There have been rumors for a while now that Google was going to buy the struggling HTC. This seemed like a wonderful idea, as HTC makes great smartphones, which is good for the overall health of the Android market.

Today, a deal finally happens, but Google didn't buy HTC outright. Strangely, as the deal is laid out, the search giant has seemingly bought HTC employees. Yes, for $1.1 billion, the search giant has sort of purchased human beings -- plus it gets access to some intellectual property. HTC gets a much-needed big influx of cash.

"Google and HTC Corporation today announced a definitive agreement under which certain HTC employees – many of whom are already working with Google to develop Pixel smartphones – will join Google. HTC will receive $1.1 billion in cash from Google as part of the transaction. Separately, Google will receive a non-exclusive license for HTC intellectual property (IP). The agreement is a testament to the decade-long strategic relationship between HTC and Google around the development of premium smartphones," says HTC.

The company further explains, "This agreement also supports HTC's continued branded smartphone strategy, enabling a more streamlined product portfolio, greater operational efficiency and financial flexibility. HTC will continue to have best-in-class engineering talent, which is currently working on the next flagship phone, following the successful launch of the HTC U11 earlier this year. HTC will also continue to build the virtual reality ecosystem to grow its VIVE business, while investing in other next-generation technologies, including the Internet of Things, augmented reality and artificial intelligence."

In other words, HTC remains its own entity -- Google does not own it. Tomorrow morning, some HTC employees could be informed that they will eventually be sold to Google -- almost like when a professional sports player is traded to a different team. Yeah, it seems rather weird, but it looks like both companies are getting what they want/need.

Rick Osterloh, Senior Vice President of Hardware at Google says, "HTC has been a longtime partner of Google and has created some of the most beautiful, premium devices on the market. 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."

Of course, the deal does not close tomorrow -- the companies anticipate the agreement to be finalized in 2018. In the interim, it will apparently be business as usual at HTC and Google, but I am sure employees at both companies will have a lot of uncertainty until everything is approved.

UPDATE

I reached out to HTC for further clarification. The company replied with the following.


betanews.com/2017/09/20/google-billion-htc/

Thats 50,000,000 dollars a person. The EPA has already determined the value of human life the VSL rate to be worth 5.1M. HTC is getting a steal from jewgle in terms of compensation.
Why tell us this n-s-yayyy-kun? Desperate for good coders so much that you are purchasing pajeets from chinks?

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I said desperate for good coders. You think purchasing 2000 pajeets will get you anything beyond mediocore coders? It won't.

fuck off

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It will sure get you a lot of them though.

fuck off cia nigger

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Damn that's fucked. So for VR, your choice is either Faceberg or Jewgle. Jewed or kiked.

Damn that's fucked. So for VR, your choice is either Faceberg or Jewgle. Jewed or kiked.

I don't want to live on this planet anymore.

kys

They're obviously lacking talented employees which is the reason they had to go out and buy ones that actually know what the fuck they're doing.

Fagioli Bless This Mess

are you twelve years old, a shitskin, or a google employee?
i would guess the latter two

they never want to live in the desert when they get here bro. Nice SJW logic tho.

If 2000 pajeets were given typewriters and an infinite amount of time, would they ever type fizzbuzz?

This is your problem now.

This is your problem now.

They would shit in the typewriters.

There is still OSVR and the chance of peripheral manufacturers entering the fray.
Last I heard ASUS and LG were making HMDs compatible with steamVR so HTC's HMDs are not the only option.
Big players are moving towards standalone HMDs with their own computer on board and intrinsic tracking systems.
Will most likely end up pozzed to oblivion and beyond like today's android smartphones with all your motion tracking data sold to the highest bidder.