A guest checks her mobile as she arrives for the launch of new HTC products - the HTC desire eye smartphone, RE camera and RE eye experience software - in New York October 8, 2014.

A guest checks her mobile as she arrives for the launch of new HTC products - the HTC desire eye smartphone, RE camera and RE eye experience software - in New York October 8, 2014. Reuters/Eduardo Munoz

It seems that HTC is shifting gears and headed to a new direction, wherever that may be. The Taiwanese tech giant may be gearing towards developing its mobile division more than anything, and definite changes are certainly going to be made within the company.

HTC Vive senior designer Claude Zellweger has left the company to join Google. Zellweger will now be working on the Daydream mobile virtual reality (VR) platform and further expand its horizons. HTC has confirmed Zellweger’s release and thanked him for his help in developing the Vive.

“HTC can confirm that Claude Zellweger has left the company. We appreciate his considerable contribution to HTC, and wish him well in his future endeavours,” said HTC as quoted by The Verge. “HTC continues to invest in talent and recruitment as part of our broader strategy to ensure the continued strength and integrity of the company’s organisational structure.”

This year is expected to be the breakout period not only of VR, but augmented reality (AR) as well. Majority of Android devices that are set for release this year are likely to be Daydream-compatible. According to Phone Arena, Google is also set on further strengthening its collaboration with several mobile phone brands to develop Tango-compatible gadgets with enhanced AR support.

In other news, an HTC executive has categorically denied that the company is making an Android Wear smartwatch amidst leaks and speculations. An Android watch believed to be from HTC (in collaboration with Under Armour) has made rounds recently. HTC finally put an end to the rumours via its smartphones and connected device president Chialin Chang’s interview with Tbreak.

“We’re not going to have an Android watch. I don’t think we’ve nailed it with [the experience of] watches,” said the HTC exec. “Android watch is one thing but even Apple as a big brand is declining [in watches.] We are not going to have a watch in the short term.”

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