Google CEO Larry Page has confirmed that Android co-founder Andy Rubin is starting a “new chapter” at Mountain View as he hands over the Android reins to Sundar Pichai.
“In addition to his existing work with Chrome and Apps, Sundar has a talent for creating products that are technically excellent yet easy to use—and he loves a big bet,” Page wrote in an official blog post.
“Take Chrome, for example. In 2008, people asked whether the world really needed another browser. Today Chrome has hundreds of millions of happy users and is growing fast thanks to its speed, simplicity and security. So while Andy’s a really hard act to follow, I know Sundar will do a tremendous job doubling down on Android as we work to push the ecosystem forward.”
According to Page, Android is currently the most used mobile operating system in the world.
“We have a global partnership of over 60 manufacturers; more than 750 million devices have been activated globally; and 25 billion apps have now been downloaded from Google Play. Today we’re living in a new computing environment. People are really excited about technology and spending a lot of money on devices. This is driving faster adoption than we have ever seen before,” the CEO explained.
“The Nexus program – developed in conjunction with our partners Asus, HTC, LG and Samsung – has become a beacon of innovation for the industry, and services such as Google Now have the potential to really improve your life. We’re getting closer to a world where technology takes care of the hard work – discovery, organization, communication—so that you can get on with what makes you happiest… living and loving.”
As noted above, Rubin is the co-founder and former CEO of both Danger and Android. He has at least four patents associated with his inventions, and is believed to maintain a net worth of $100 million.
