Android Founder Gets Into Surveillance (Coincidentally)

In order to compete with Apple’s operating system, Google did not start from a blank page. Indeed, the Mountain View company bought Android in 2005, then released the operating system in 2008.

The one who is considered the father of Android is Andy Rubin, who sold his operating system to Google. After the acquisition, Rubin joined Google’s leadership team. But he left the company in 2014.

Android’s father has not retired, however. A few years later, he launched a brand of smartphones, Essential, whose one and only mobile was released in 2017.

Although this smartphone had many strengths, the Essential brand did not survive. What was left of the business was taken over by Nothing, Carl Pei’s company. And some Essential engineers launched a new brand, called OSOM.

What becomes of Andy Rubin?

As for Andy Rubin, after ending the Essential adventure, he seems to have taken an interest in another area: surveillance.

The father of Android is still very discreet about his future projects, but, according to a recent publication by Android Authority, which relays an article from The Information, Rubin is preparing a new brand which, this time, would offer software security surveillance for devices such as security cameras or motion detectors.

This umpteenth startup from the father of Android would be called Simple Things. And his team would include former employees of Essential and the OSOM brand. The company was reportedly created just after Essential went out of business.

A promising field?

For the moment, we are still awaiting an official announcement from Andy Rubin. But in any case, with Simple Things, it is embarking on a promising field.

Indeed, connected surveillance systems are an important market which is of interest to Internet giants. Currently, Google and Amazon already have products and services in this area, through their Nest and Ring brands.

Recently, Google has also launched an important novelty for its Nest cameras: a web interface on which users can view the video streams of their cameras, but also connected doorbells.

Note also that this information on Andy Rubin’s new project is leaking, while the new Matter standard for home automation has just been published. Backed by digital giants including Amazon, Apple, Google and Samsung, Matter is a new protocol through which connected devices in the home could communicate in a simple and secure way, and which also introduces interoperability between brands.