Google SVP Rick Osterloh, who was hired in April to head up a new hardware group, outlined the vision for the company's gadget ambitions on Tuesday.
And he promised that Google's big hardware effort is not just a passing fancy.
"This is a natural step and we’re in it for the long run," Osterloh said.
The former Motorola executive made his first public appearance as Google's hardware czar on Tuesday at the company's big launch event, which included the new Pixel smartphone, a virtual reality headset, and a $129 smart home speaker, among other things.
Osterloh's job won't be easy of course, and Google has a lot to prove. The company has experienced several high-profile setbacks in its hardware ambitions over the years, not least of which was its acquisition and subsequent divestiture of the Motorola phone business.
Google CEO Larry Page said at the time that the reason for selling Motorola was because he realized that to succeed in the business "it helps to be all-in when it comes to making mobile devices."
But Osterloh insisted that Google is serious this time.
"You’re going to hear much more from our team in the coming months and years to come," Osterloh promised.
Perhaps seeking to imbue the new hardware effort with a proven formula for success, Osterloh seemed to draw inspiration from one of its main rivals.
"We believe the next big innovation is going to take place at the intersection between hardware and software with AI at the center of it," Osterloh told the crowd.
Many were quick to noe that the line was reminiscent of Apple founder Steve Jobs' famous phrase about designing products "at the intersection of technology and liberal arts."
