Andy Rubin Shares His Thoughts in Farewell Letter to Open Handset Alliance

[dgstorm]

Yesterday the biggest breaking news was Andy Rubin stepping down from his position as head of Android Development. He is not leaving Google but is simply passing the torch of leadership for the Android project so he can focus on something else. He shared a farewell letter to his partners in the Android Open Handset Alliance. He didn't give any details on his future plans, but if we read between the lines he intimated that there are still some big things he will be working on.

He reminds us that at his core he is an entrepreneur, which suggests he will be working on something new and exciting at Google. We hate to see him leave Android, but if it means he can help create the next breakthrough and world-changing product, it will be well worth it. In fact, he reiterates his desire to “transform computing for people everywhere,” and although he is referring to his work on Android, we can't help but wonder if he was hinting at the future...

Here's the full letter,

Dear friends,

In November of 2007 we announced the Open Handset Alliance with 34 founding members. Today, I’m grateful to the over 85 OHA members who have helped us build Android and drive innovation at such an incredible pace. The Android ecosystem has seen tremendous growth since the launch of the very first Android device in October 2008. The volume and variety of Android devices exceeds even my most optimistic expectations — over 750 million compatible devices and counting!

At its core, Android has always been about openness — the idea that a thousand brains are better than one. Just as the ecosystem has grown, so has our team at Google. I am incredibly proud of the phenomenal group of people that spend their days (and nights) building the Android platform and services. Just look at last year…a lean yet incredibly ambitious team released Jellybean with Google Now, launched Google Play in many languages and countries and collaborated with several partners to build three new Nexus devices to help drive innovation in the ecosystem.

Today, the success of Android combined with the strength of our management team, gives me the confidence to step away from Android and hand over the reins. Going forward, Sundar Pichai will lead Android, in addition to his existing work with Chrome and Apps. Hiroshi Lockheimer — who many of you already know well — plus the rest of the Android leadership team will work closely with all of our partners to advance Android and prepare the platform for new products and services yet to be imagined.

As for me, I am an entrepreneur at heart and now is the right time for me to start a new chapter within Google. I am amazed by what we have accomplished from those early days (not so long ago!), and remain passionate about the power of a simple idea and a shared goal — an open source platform freely available to everyone — to transform computing for people everywhere.

Thank you for your support,

- andy

What do you guys think he might be working on?

Source: WSJ