Today, Android is one of the most popular operating systems in the world. But when discussing the history of this project, it’s impossible not to mention the name Andrew Rubin. He founded Android Inc. and then spent nine years as vice president of Google, focusing on the development and promotion of the mobile operating system. However, Andrew Rubin’s story is not only one of career rise but also of scandalous fall.
Andrew Rubin’s career
Andrew was born into a family of psychologists, but his interest in technology was no accident. His father’s company photographed electronic devices. In 1986, Rubin earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Utica College. His first job was as a robotics engineer at the German company Carl Zeiss AG, where he stayed for three years. Rubin spent the next three years at Apple, where his love of robots earned him the nickname “Android.”
Then she tried her luck at several startups, the most notable of which was Danger. This company created mobile devices. In 2003, Android Inc. was founded in California by Andrew Rubin, who gave the company his nickname (the name “Android” comes from the initials of Andy Rubin’s first and last names— AND Rubin ) . The new startup was supposed to create an operating system for digital cameras, which was what they pitched to investors. But Rubin soon realized that the market was too small for his large-scale project, so Android was presented as a new operating system for mobile phones. At the time, Microsoft’s Symbian and Windows Mobile dominated the market.
Attempts to attract investment from Samsung and HTC failed, but Google took an interest in the project, seeing its potential. The search giant acquired Android Inc. for $130 million in 2005, and key employees changed jobs. Rubin himself became the company’s senior vice president of mobile and digital content, directly overseeing Android development. His success in this field is obvious; it was he who secured the new system’s place in the market.
In March 2013, Larry Page announced Andrew Rubin’s departure from the Android division on his blog. It seemed as if new projects at Google awaited him. Indeed, in December 2013, Rubin took over the robotics division (which at the time included Boston Dynamics). However, in October 2014, Andrew left the company permanently after nine years. The reason, as it later turned out, was a scandal.
Sex scandal
Initially, it was believed Rubin’s departure from Google was voluntary; he needed more time for philanthropy and new startups. However, it turned out that a female employee accused Andrew Rubin of sexual harassment. The FBI investigated, and the matter turned out to be serious. Larry Page personally asked the employee to resign.
Rubin himself denied all the accusations, considering them part of a smear campaign waged against him during the divorce. Nevertheless, Rubin was forced to resign, receiving a $90 million severance package, which later sparked outrage among both employees and the public. Google was accused of insufficiently combating sexual harassment, and employees even went on strike in 2018.
And in 2019, Rubin’s ex-wife made new claims against him, accusing him of essentially pimping and concealing income.
Life after Google
The “golden parachute” he received after leaving Google and the scandal hushed up by management allowed Rubin to continue his successful life. In 2015, he founded the venture capital firm Playground Global, helping tech startups. But in May 2019, Rubin left, having previously joined the young startup Essential Products. The company was slated to launch a line of Android-based smartphones, which attracted interest—the creator of the operating system himself was involved in the development, and everyone was expecting something revolutionary. However, the first product was so unsuccessful that it also became its last. In 2020, the company ceased operations altogether.
