14 DAY TRIAL // Andy Rubin, the co-founder of the Android mobile operating system and the man behind the company’s robotics initiative, has announced that he would be stepping down from his job and leaving Google.
Rubin will start an incubator for startups that are interested in building technology hardware products. In its stead, James Kuffner, research scientist at Google and member of the robotics group, will take the lead in the unit.
Rubin joined Google back in 2005 when the Internet giant acquired what has since become the most used mobile operating system in the world. Later on, in 2013, he switched from Android to the robotics department where he helped acquire several companies working in the field, including Boston Dynamics.
“I want to wish Andy all the best with what’s next. With Android he created something truly remarkable – with a billion-plus happy users. Thank you,” Larry Page said in a statement. Of course, this falls right in with the type of attitude Google’s founder has had regarding many departures over the years.
Rubin’s work was essential for Android as Google tried to keep up and compete with Apple as smartphones took over the world and became the go-to devices for most people with a mobile phone.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Rubin’s entrepreneurial spirit didn’t have enough room to grow at Google where he was facing some constrains on his activities. Even so, the fact that he stayed on for nearly a decade speaks a lot about his devotement to both Android and the new robotics lab he was leading.
Rubin debunked the rumor and said that he didn’t really have any issues with independence, but he chose to leave because he wanted to try out something new on his own.
“Larry enabled the robotic effort to run exactly the way I wanted it to, and we made great progress in our first year,” he told the Journal in an email.
Google after Rubin
When Rubin decided to quit Android in 2013, Sundar Pichai took over from him. As you may know already, Pichai has gone to now lead most of Google’s products, according to a recent announcement.
Rubin, who’s been passionate about robots for most of his life, moved on to the new job, overseeing the department, handling acquisitions of companies such as Boston Dynamics, Schaft and Meka robotics.
In his stead, Kuffner will lead the department. He’s a man with good experience in the domain, having worked on human-like robot technology for over two decades.