Skip to main content

Google is building a hardware division under former Motorola CEO

google hires rick osterloh motorola
Recode
When Google bought Motorola in 2011, it was widely known that it was to gather up important patents regarding Android. Many believed, however, that Google would use Motorola’s manufacturing capabilities to build a new hardware division. That all went out the window when Google sold Motorola to Lenovo just three years later.

But after Google lost one of its hardware chiefs, Regina Dugan, to Facebook, the company began seriously thinking about a shake-up in its hardware division. Re/code has learned that the search giant has hired former Motorola President Rick Osterloh as a senior vice president who will report directly to CEO Sundar Pichai.

Recommended Videos

Osterloh hasn’t been unemployed for too long, as he only left his previous position last month. He will now run the new hardware product line, overseeing Google’s Nexus devices, according to a Google representative that confirmed the news to Re/code.

Android Senior Vice President Hiroshi Lockheimer will now work more on the software and platform development side, and Osterloh will take over the hardware development aspect, as well as maintaining the company’s OEM partnerships. A lot the hardware-related projects Lockheimer oversaw are being pushed towardsOsterloh.

The hardware division Osterloh will lead also includes products under the “living room” category, which shows how serious Google is about improving its connected devices for a smarter home. Osterloh will also oversee the Chromecast streaming stick; consumer hardware like Chromebooks and the Pixel C; Google’s wireless router, OnHub; Google’s Advanced Technology and Projects division, which includes Project Ara; and Google Glass, which also includes Project Aura (the next iteration of the headgear).

Nest, the smart thermostat — and its CEO, Tony Fadel — is staying separate from Google.

We have reached out to Google for comment and will update this post when we hear back.

Julian Chokkattu
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Julian is the mobile and wearables editor at Digital Trends, covering smartphones, fitness trackers, smartwatches, and more…
Update your Google Pixel phone right now to fix a big security issue
A person holding the Google Pixel 8a

Google just rolled out its July security update for Pixel devices. While last month's Feature Drop added some cool features, like Gemini Nano on more devices, this month's update addresses a critical security vulnerability. So, if you have a Google Pixel device from the Pixel 5a and later with Android 14, make sure to update it as soon as possible.

What’s the critical security issue? It’s known as CVE–2024–31320, which Google says, under certain conditions, allows third-party apps (“3p”) to bypass user prompts. If you have seen this happening on your Pixel device, then you should be aware that it’s not a good thing to have. So make sure you grab the July security update ASAP.

Read more
Motorola’s new $200 Android phone looks like a great deal
Moto S50 Neo.

Another day, another $200 smartphone is making its debut in China. Yesterday, we told you about the Honor Play 60 Plus. Today, say hello to the Moto S50 Neo. The new offering features a 6.7-inch pOLED display (FHD+ and 120Hz) with a Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 chipset inside. According to GSMArena, the phone also includes a 5,000mAh battery with 30W charging. The phone runs on Android 14.

The Moto S50 Neo is a beautifully designed smartphone that ships in Gray, Olivine, and Surf. The Olivine and Surf models feature a textile-like nanotexture back that is considered "skin-friendly" and wear-resistant, adding "a touch of style." Pantone developed those two unique colors.

Read more
Everything announced at Google I/O 2024
Rose Yao on Google I/O 2024 stage.

Android, Wear OS, and Pixel may be Google's household names, but it was Google Gemini, its emerging AI technology, that stole the limelight at Google I/O 2024. The company's annual software celebration sets the stage for everything the company has planned for the coming year, and this year, CEO Sundar Pichai unambiguously declared that Google is in its "Gemini era." From AI searches in your Google Photos to virtual AI assistants that will work alongside you, Google is baking Gemini into absolutely everything, and the implications are enormous. Here's an overview of everything Google announced this year.
Gemini takeover

Users upload more than 6 billion photos to Google Photos every day, so it's little wonder that we could use a hand sifting through them all. Gemini will be added to Google Photos this summer, adding extra search abilities through the Ask Photos function. For instance, ask it "what's my license plate again" and it'll search through your photos to find the most likely answer, saving you from needing to manually look through your photos to find it yourself.

Read more