Andy Rubin

Andy Rubin
Name	Andy Rubin
Caption	Rubin in 2014
Birth date	22 June 1962
Birth place	Chappaqua, New York, U.S.
Alma mater	Utica College
Occupation	Entrepreneur, Computer programmer
Known for	Co-founding Android Inc., Danger Inc.
Spouse	Rie Rubin, 2015

Andy Rubin is an American entrepreneur and computer programmer best known as a co-founder of Android Inc., which created the Android mobile operating system. He played a pivotal role in the development of the smartphone industry, leading the Android project at Google after its acquisition in 2005. Rubin's career has spanned several influential technology companies, though it has also been marked by significant professional controversies.

Early life and education

Born in Chappaqua, New York, Rubin developed an early interest in technology and computer science. He attended Utica College, part of Syracuse University, where he studied computer science. His first professional role was as a manufacturing engineer at Carl Zeiss, but his passion for software soon led him into the nascent personal computer industry.

Career

Rubin's early career included work at Apple Inc. as a software engineer during the development of the Apple Network Server. He later joined General Magic, a pioneering spin-off from Apple Inc., where he worked on early mobile computing and communications technologies. In 1999, he co-founded Danger Inc., which created the Sidekick, an early smartphone that gained a cult following. Following Danger Inc., he briefly worked at Microsoft before founding his most significant venture.

Android development

In 2003, Rubin co-founded Android Inc. with the initial vision of developing an advanced operating system for digital cameras. The company quickly pivoted to focus on a new mobile operating system for smartphones, aiming to create an open platform. In 2005, Google acquired Android Inc., with Rubin leading the project as a senior vice president at Google. Under his leadership, the Open Handset Alliance was formed, and the first commercial Android device, the T-Mobile G1, was launched in 2008, fundamentally challenging the dominance of Apple's iOS and Nokia's Symbian.

Post-Android ventures

After leaving the Android team at Google in 2013, Rubin founded Playground Global, a hardware-focused venture capital firm and startup accelerator. In 2014, he launched Essential Products, a consumer electronics company that released the Essential Phone in 2017. Despite significant initial hype and backing from investors like Foxconn and Amazon, Essential Products struggled in the competitive smartphone market and ultimately ceased operations in 2020.

Controversies

Rubin's departure from Google in 2014 was followed by a 2018 report by The New York Times alleging he had left after an internal investigation found credible evidence of misconduct, including a sexual relationship with a subordinate. The report stated Google had provided him with a $90 million exit package. This revelation sparked widespread employee protests, including the Google walkouts, and intensified scrutiny of Google's handling of sexual harassment claims. Rubin has denied the allegations. In 2019, his then-wife filed for divorce, citing inappropriate conduct, and he faced a lawsuit from a former employee at Essential Products.

Personal life

Rubin married Rie Hata in 2015. He is known as an avid robotics enthusiast and collector, maintaining a significant personal collection of android figures and artifacts. He resides in Los Altos Hills, California, and is a prominent figure in the Silicon Valley technology investment scene through his work with Playground Global.

Category:American computer programmers Category:American technology entrepreneurs Category:Android (operating system) developers Category:1962 births Category:Living people