CNETAnalysis: Andy Rubin, the man who developed Android and sold it to Google, is stepping down from his position at the reins of the mobile OS. As announced today in a blog post written by CEO Larry Page, Rubin will be staying at Google to concentrate on “more moonshots” while Sundar Pichai will take over as head of Android. Pichai was one of the leads on Google’s browser, Chrome, as well as having a background in apps. Page says that Pichai will be “doubling down on Android” in this brave new post-Rubin world. Is this reshuffle a clue to the shape of Android to come? There has been speculation that Google will bring Android and Chrome OS in line – or even merge the two – and moving a Chrome specialist over to the mobile side certainly adds fuel to that particular fire. Page speaks “Having exceeded even the crazy ambitious goals we dreamed of for Android – and with a really strong leadership team in place – Andy’s decided it’s time to hand over the reins and start a new chapter at Google,” blogged Page. “Andy, more moonshots please!” He went on, “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 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. It’s an exciting time to be at Google.” Posted by: Maryum
