The same day it was revealed Hugo Barra is leaving Xiaomi to head up Facebook-Oculus' virtual reality efforts, HTC's now-former design lead announced he is begun working on the Google Daydream platform.

Claude Zellweger, according to his Twitter (where he first announced his new gig), is the maker of the HTC Vive VR headset and HTC 10. HTC has now confirmed to The Verge that Claude has left the company to presumably help Google with designing Google Daydream-related projects. Keep in mind Google is rumoured to be developing a high-end VR headset along the lines of HTC Vive and Oculus Rift.

At Google I/O 2016, Google showed us it was interested in going beyond Google Cardboard by introducing a new mobile, approachable to VR in the form of Google Daydream. Since then, we've seen Google introduce a Daydream VR headset, Pixel phones with Daydream support, and other manufacturers add support for Daydream. We're hoping to see more hardware announcements at Google I/O 2017.

Unlike the Daydream View, which is essentially dumb headset that relies on the software and processing power of a Daydream-enabled phone, Google's full-fledged headset would be an all-in-one experience that doesn't require a phone whatsoever.

Check out Pocket-lint's rumour round-up for more details. We suspect more leaks in the coming months if Zellweger is indeed working on the secretive project.