Google puts Boston Dynamics robotics-division up for sale: Report
Alphabet is planning to sell Boston Dynamics, the robot company its Google-arm acquired for $500 million in 2013, according to Bloomberg.
The plans for a sale come after executives within the company looked at divisions that don't generate revenue. Since Boston Dynamics won't have a marketable product in the next few years, Alphabet is pushing a sale, according to the report.
Boston Dynamics was folded into Google X's hardware division, rather than a standalone company under the Alphabet umbrella. This reportedly didn't sit well with Boston Dynamic's top brass.
Further, it's said Boston Dynamics is having a leadership issue after futuristic-thinker Andy Rubin left Google in 2014. Bloomberg reports Boston Dynamics -- called Replicant internally -- has also been plagued by failures to collaborate between companies.
Toyota Research Institute, a division of Toyota Motor, and Amazon are said to be interested in purchasing the robotics firm. It's not clear what type of price Alphabet is seeking for the company.
Over the years, Boston Dynamics has garnered attention for its futuristic robots shown off in viral videos across the web. Some of its robots are capable of walking, and its "BigDog" project received funding from the US military. The acquisition was originally seen as a way for Google to get ahead on futuristic tech.
Robotics spending will hit $135.4 billion in 2019, up from $71 billion in 2015, according to an IDC report published in February .
We have reached out to Google for comment and will keep you updated on the latest.