HTC reeling: Another exec has left the company

A few days ago, a senior designer left HTC for the competition. Now, another long-time exec has departed the Taiwanese electronics giant. It’s an understatement that the company is going somewhere with the recent changes, but the question is where?

Jason Mackenzie has stepped down as HTC’s global executive vice president. Mackenzie made the announcement on Twitter and said that Monday was his last day at the office. The high-ranking official’s departure comes less than a week after HTC confirmed that its Vive senior designer, Claude Zellweger, has left the company to join Google.

Before joining HTC in 2005, Mackenzie worked at Siemens. He joined the Taiwanese company just in time before it became a formidable contender in the roaring smartphone industry. Mackenzie eventually worked his way to the top, becoming the president of HTC America in 2013 before landing the executive vice president post last year.

According to Digital Trends, Mackenzie’s 12 years at HTC has been filled with ups and downs, both for him and the company. HTC became one of the biggest names in the mobile industry when the Android saga was on the rise. The company, however, couldn’t keep its foot on the gas pedal as its star no longer shines as it once did despite consistently producing quality devices.

Zellweger, meanwhile, will now be working on the Daydream mobile virtual reality (VR) platform and further explore its possibilities. As the former vice president of design, his contribution to HTC was most essential, providing the premium feel and looks that HTC devices have become known for. Vive fans should thank him for spearheading the developing team that shaped up the now-famous VR headset.

HTC is definitely trying to make its mark in the tech industry, whichever platform it may be. The company may be gearing towards developing its mobile and VR division more than anything based on its recent launches. HTC is set to release its two new smartphones U Ultra and U Play soon, and the Vive Tracker is projected to go on sale by this year’s second quarter.

Back in December, HTC launched its own VR-developing unit called Vive Studios, which is set to release games from both HTC and third party developers. 2 Bears, one of HTC’s internal studios, actually developed the company’s first VR game called “Arcade Saga,” a collection of three mini games that includes a total of 84 levels. “Arcade Saga” is currently available for purchase on HTC’s Viveport store and Steam for US$29.99 (AU$39.99).

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