HTC's lead designer, Claude Zellweger, of the Vive has left the company to join the Google Daydream team.

Claude Zellweger was the creator of the HTC Vive VR headset and HTC 10. According to HTC, Zellweger has left to aid Google with designing Google Daydream-related projects. In recent news, Google has plans of developing a high-end VR headset too just like the Vive and Oculus Rift. In addition, Zellweger’s HTC email account is no longer active. 

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“HTC can confirm that Claude Zellweger has left the Company. We appreciate his considerable contribution to HTC, and wish him well in his future endeavors. 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 organizational structure,” said HTC’s statement.

In 2008, Zellweger joined HTC when the company acquired his design company One & Co. He was one of the creators of the original design of the HTC One smartphone before taking over the responsibility of designing the HTC Vive VR headset, which was first unveiled back in March 2015. 

Most of Zellweger’s designs have become part of final and consumer-ready iteration of the virtual reality headset. The Vive team of Zellweger has created many prototypes of the headset and controller before arriving at the final consumer model. HTC Vive has received positive reviews both from fans and critics, which was more advanced compared to the Oculus Rift.

Joining Google, Zellweger may help in the company’s new mobile virtual reality platform. The Daydream design team of Google needs a leader with enough experience with smartphone and VR headset designs for further improvement and development.

TagsHTC, HTC Vive, Google, Google Daydream, VR, Virtual Reality, HTC Vive Designer