Since it was announced a couple weeks ago that Andy Rubin would be stepping down as head of the Android team, there has been a bunch of rumors about where he might be headed next. Apparently, Rubin began updating his Facebook profile extensively after the announcement and this led many to believe that he was going to be picked up by the social media giant.
As it turns out, Rubin is still going to work with Google but will be working in Google’s X Labs. Some additional information surfaced that points to Rubin’s departure as something he was not particularly fond of. Instead, the Chief Executive of Google Larry Page may have forced him out of the way.
It’s no secret that Rubin and Page have decidedly different views on the Android platform. Page sees Android as more of a revenue source, in regards to mobile advertising. Rubin, on the other hand, believes that Google needs to get more involved in the ecosystem, specifically to prevent Samsung from becoming too powerful. As it stands, Samsung is clearly dominating the Android market which may or may not hurt other manufacturers in the same industry. Rubin has said before that he believes the Motorola acquisition should help deal with Samsung’s current market dominance.
The strange coincidence concerning Rubin’s Facebook account might indicate future events. Rubin went right to work posting updated pictures, accurate profile information and uploading a new cover image. Realistically, it could also be because he’s a little more troubled by the situation than anyone is aware of. If I were pushed out of a job that I had held for quite some time because of conflicting views, I would probably react in the same way. It seems silly to update only Facebook information and not use Twitter or Google+, but then again- Facebook is the obvious choice in most situations, especially if Rubin is not happy with Google at the moment.
Whatever the case may be let’s hope that Rubin hasn’t actually left Google for good. He’s done quite a bit for the Android platform which is clearly indicative of his talents. These are just whispers in the wind at the moment, but they don’t represent a real good impression of Larry Page. In fact, if it’s true that he pushed Rubin out of his former position, I will decidedly like him a lot less.