Android founder will exit Google to incubate hardware startups

Without Android Google would still be a pretty powerful company, but nowhere near as influential as it is today. In that regard, it owes a deep vote of thanks to Andy Rubin, the man who founded Android as an independent company way back in 2003. From now on though, it’ll have to do without Rubin’s vision.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the former Google Senior Vice President of Mobile and Digital Content is leaving to start a hardware startup incubator.

In a statement, Google CEO Larry Page thanked Rubin for his service.

“I want to wish Andy all the best with what’s next,” Page said. “With Android he created something truly remarkable-with a billion plus happy users. Thank you.”

Rubin originally joined Google as part of the company’s highly secretive acquisition of Android in 2005. In the years since, he’s helped turn it from a startup project to the world’s most dominant OS. Prior to founding Android, Rubin co-founded Danger, the company that built the Sidekick phone.

Since 2013, he’s been working in a far less public role, taking on “Moonshots” at the company.

Image: Joi Ito via Flickr.