Google announced on Thursday that Andy Rubin, co-founder of its Android mobile business and head of its nascent robotics effort, is leaving the company.
Rubin is leaving in order to start a company to support startups interested in building technology-hardware products, Google said in an emailed response for comment on a Wall-Street Journal report about his decision.
"I want to wish Andy all the best with what's next," Google CEO Larry Page said in a statement. "With Android he created something truly remarkable- with a billion-plus happy users. Thank you."
Rubin built Android into a free, open-source software platform used by most of the world's largest handset manufacturers, from companies like Samsung and HTC Corp.
In 2013, Google's browser and applications chief Sundar Pichai replaced Rubin as head of the Android division, bringing the firm's mobile software, applications and Chrome browser under one roof.
Last week Page appointed Pichai to run almost every Google project besides YouTube.
"These changes will free me up a bit so I can focus on the bigger picture with Sundar when it comes to our core products," Mr. Page said in a memo this week, according to The New York Times.
Rubin's departure is a huge blow to Google's robotics efforts. After stepping down from Android, Page allowed him to oversee Google's acquisitions of several robotics companies, like Boston Dynamics, Schaft and Meka Robotics.
"It's surprising and sounds pretty unplanned," said Scott Strawn, an analyst at research firm IDC, according to the Wall Street Journal. "If it was voluntary on Mr. Rubin's part, you would think he would see part of the robotics project through to completion to have something to show publicly before leaving."
Rubin will be replaced by Google research scientist and robotics group member James Kuffner, the company confirmed to The Journal. Kuffner has worked on human-like robot technology for over two decades, including seven years at Carnegie Mellon University and five years on Google's self-driving car project, according to The Journal report.
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