It looks like Andy Rubin, the creator of Android, is going to develop new consumer hardware products including several mobile and smart home devices. According to Bloomberg, Andy Rubin will be will be launching those devices under his latest company, Essential, a 40-person team consisting of recruits from Apple and Google.
Bloomberg reports that Rubin will head the team as the CEO of Essential. The company will be introducing a few consumer products, but the main one would be a flagship smartphone that is said to go head to head with popular flagship smartphones including iPhone and Google Pixel in terms of pricing and specifications. Some of the rumoured features include a large edge-to-edge screen that is bigger than the iPhone 7 Plus, ceramic back, something similar to Apple’s 3D Touch, and new magnetic charging and accessories connector. Sadly though, Bloomberg isn’t sure if the device will run on Android.
Back in 2005, Andy Rubin sold Android to Google, whereby he spent the next eight years at the company developing the software. He then stepped down from his position in 2013, and left Google for good in 2014. Rubin registered Essential Products Inc. in November 2015, and just last year, the company registered “Essential” with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, listing smartphones, tablets, accessories, and such as its goods and services.
It’ll definitely be interesting to see what the father of Android could come out with, especially when he has a team of former employees from Apple and Alphabet.
