Google is reorganizing its devices and services teams responsible for Pixel, Nest, and Fitbit hardware. The change was announced to employees today, and Google confirmed the change in a statement. 9to5Google.
Previously, the Pixel, Nest, and Fitbit divisions had separate, independent teams that handled aspects such as design, hardware engineering, software, and UI. Google’s hardware efforts basically housed a miniature company for phones, a smart company for his home, and his third company. Wearable. This largely reflects how Google acquired Nest (in 2014) and then he acquired Fitbit.
In its reorganization, Google is switching to a functional organizational model, with one team responsible for hardware engineering across Pixel, Nest, and Fitbit, for example. So there will be a single leader responsible for that aspect of the product across all Google hardware.
Whether this will lead to a more unified product across different form factors remains to be seen, but from what we’ve heard, the Pixel smartphone team remains largely intact for now. Looking at the technology landscape, Apple has a similar functional organization model consisting of software engineering, services, hardware technology, and a centralized hardware engineering organization.
As part of this reorganization, Fitbit co-founders James Park and Eric Friedman, as well as other Fitbit leaders, will be leaving Google.
When Google completed its acquisition of Fitbit in January 2021, James Park remained as Fitbit’s vice president and general manager. He went on to announce his Pixel Watch for Google and his Pixel Watch 2, and was last seen in October. Besides smartwatches and trackers, Google’s other wearable products include his Pixel Buds lineup of headphones.
The reorganization will see Google lay off hundreds of roles across its devices and services, with the majority within its first-party augmented reality hardware team. This downsizing suggests that Google is no longer working on its own AR hardware and is fully committed to an OEM partnership model. Employees will be able to apply for open positions within the company, and Google will provide support as usual.
We reported last February that Google had transferred its AR efforts to its Android and hardware teams following the departure of a former executive. Meanwhile, Google still owns Raxium, a micro-LED display startup it acquired in 2022.
Broadly speaking, Google says it “continues to be deeply committed to other AR initiatives,” pointing to existing AR capabilities in Lens and Maps, as well as product partnerships. The latter specifically mentions its Android XR partnership with Samsung on headset development.
Google’s full statement is below.
DSPA will remove hundreds of roles, the majority of which will impact the 1P AR hardware team. While we are making changes to the 1P AR hardware team, Google remains deeply committed to other AR initiatives, including AR experiences in products and product partnerships.
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