In my estimation, the level of brain drain (both voluntary and those riffed) would indeed be relevant to a lofty multiyear plan to metamorphize their Android TV-powered consumer offering into a custom television OS pitched to manufacturers. Including an ongoing need to maintain or, preferably, increase the current Stream 4k stick userbase — given my perception of our revised role as beta testers, proving out the new experience (while, perhaps, generating a little incremental revenue).
Whether you (my typical audience of fellow gadget geeks) back their current approach or not, I can’t imagine the ongoing personnel changes and lost institutional+industry knowledge are beneficial to current and future projects. Not to mention, among the dearly departed, are a number of consumer advocates that were solidly in our corner. Given some of the names and roles I’m aware of, it all kinda feels like the drawing down of direct-to-consumer sales. With implications that could reverberate beyond. Not that this most recent round of layoffs (and defections) is entirely surprising — seems par for the course given years of executive shuffling with divergent prioritization. And, apparently, beefing up the the patent portfolio outweighs retaining skilled personnel.
I inquired with Xperi PR (twice) for comment, but received no response as of yet. Had they engaged, I imagine it’d have been the typical post-merger ‘synergies‘ boilerplate that downplays the scale of churn as not material, emphasizes they remain committed to consumer sales, and asserts they’re well positioned to scale Everest, doncha worry. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
(graphic via blogography)