The inside story of Android creator's farewell to Google

Who is Andy Rubin? He is a great man who named the mobile phone system after his own nickname. He once helped Google surpass Apple in the mobile market. However, when Android was at its peak, he was transferred to Google's robotics project and has been working there ever since.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the reason for Rubin's departure is still unclear, and Google has refused to disclose more details. However, it is clear that after leaving Google, Rubin will run a "startup dream factory" dedicated to incubating start-ups that are interested in building technology hardware products.

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Conspiracy theorists' speculation

The last time Rubin was on social media was when he left Android last year. At that time, neither Google nor Rubin said anything to the outside world. But this did not affect the speculation of the gossipers at all, because Rubin is the father of Android after all. Android went from 0 to 1, and then from 1 to more than 1 billion. The role Rubin played in this process is far from being simply summarized as a project leader.

But it is not difficult to speculate the motive of Google's move. It is nothing more than to adjust the conflict and gap between Android and Google Apps. After the integration of the two, Android's core competitiveness will be improved compared with iOS, while improving the overall user experience of Google Apps and Android. But is this justified demand really what Rubin wants? The answer is unknown.

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In order to get Samsung and other mobile phone manufacturers to use Android, Rubin believes that it is necessary to ensure Android's independence within Google. If Android is dispensable to Google, this is a theoretically acceptable requirement. However, as Android's market share grows, Google needs Android to contribute to its global strategic deployment. After all, those who seek fame instead of profit are like Lei Feng.

Therefore, Rubin's views on Android and his personal character have become obstacles to Google's strategy to a certain extent. According to a senior employee of another department of Google, "Sometimes, it is easier to negotiate with Apple than with the Android department."

The Idealist's Answer

Although Rubin is still in charge of robots, which he loves very much, after leaving Android. However, Google, as the world's largest technology company, may not be suitable for Rubin. For a certain robot project, Google can gather more than 100 employees with backgrounds in astrophysics, chemistry, and electrical engineering in a minute. Rubin's stubbornness as a geek makes it difficult for him to create a product with a strong personal style under this background. Because at this time, he is just a leader, not a creator.

People who are familiar with Rubin know that the team he leads has an entrepreneurial and open source temperament. Even in a company like Google, it is not an exaggeration to say that Rubin is an ordinary person. So it is a natural decision for him to leave and start a hardware incubator.

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No one doubts that if Rubin stayed at Google, he would have brought amazing products to the world one day. But to be frank, life is short, and everyone has to devote themselves to their ideals once. How can we really foolishly devote all our limited energy to serving the people endlessly?

A good breakup is bound to make everyone happy

Rubin's departure is undoubtedly a loss for Google, but companies of this size never care about the gains and losses of a city or a place. Steve Jobs has passed away for three years, but the iPhone can still make countless heroes spend money. So it is unquestionable that Google will continue to vigorously promote the robotics project. And this personnel change is by no means a strategic adjustment of Google's robotics project. Rubin's successor is Google senior researcher James Kuffner, who is an expert in robotics research from Carnegie Mellon University. He has also been a developer of Google's robotics project.

The author has observed that neither the media nor the friends in the technology industry have expressed regret for Rubin's departure. This is because he has chosen a path that is more suitable for him. Rubin's strong technical background will undoubtedly give a shot in the arm to the increasingly competitive robot market. And he himself will go further in his lifelong dream of making robots.

Conclusion

Is the world changing rapidly or is it static? From a philosophical point of view, both are correct. Therefore, this is a boring proposition. Rubin and Google have parted ways. I sincerely wish Rubin well and will continue to pay attention to Google. I hope they can bring more surprises to the world in their lifetime.