Google has hired Amazon’s David Foster as its new Vice President of Product Engineering, with a report claiming he will be in charge of developing the firm’s next line of phones.
At Amazon, Foster oversaw development of numerous devices including the Kindle Paperwhite and Voyage, and the Amazon Echo and Dash – created by the company’s Lab126 division.
According to a report from The Information, citing ‘a person familiar with the hiring’, Foster will now lead hardware development for Google’s next smartphones.
Related: Google Event Livestream 2016: Watch today’s Pixel launch right here
The firm is preparing to unveil its new Pixel and Pixel XL phones at a dedicated event today, where it’s also expected to debut a new Chromecast 4K and and announce a release date for its Google Home smart speaker.
While the new Pixel handsets are widely thought to have been designed and manufactured by HTC, Foster’s hiring could signal the introduction of a new company-wide ‘design language’ that will see future products adopt a uniform style.
The Vice President of Product Engineering role has reportedly been vacant until now, providing Foster with a chance to introduce some big changes by occupying an entirely new position.
He will report to former Motorola executive Rick Osterloh, who currently oversees Google’s hardware division.
You can catch the Google event this evening from 5pm BST, and stay tuned to TrustedReviews for all the updates.
WATCH: Pixel phones – What we know
Let us know what you make of the hiring in the comments.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.