New faces of Android

There have been changes in the leadership of Google's mobile OS

After stars Andy Rubin and Hugo Barra left the Android development department, a burning question arose: who will lead Google's largest platform? A list of possible candidates was compiled by The Verge .

The most popular mobile platform suffers one loss after another. Five months ago, Android founder Andy Rubin left his brainchild to pursue other Google projects. Another Android executive, Hugo Barra, has left the company to join Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi. The move could be beneficial for both companies—it's always good to have an ally in the explosive Chinese market—but Barra still leaves a void in Android's camp.

To outsiders, Rubin and Barra were the faces of Android, with Hugo often speaking out to talk about how the system's interior and exterior were changing. Along with VP of Engineering Hiroshi Lockheimer, the two were seen as the most influential people on the Android side. They led the rapid evolution of the system, painstakingly building its functionality. Their former colleague says: “Andy, Hiroshi and Hugo were the Android triumvirate. They were the ones who made him work."

Today, Android is led by one of Google's brightest managers, Sundar Pichai, who is simultaneously involved in both the mobile platform and Chrome along with Google Apps. The company says Barra was part of a strong Android management team that is still in existence. The main goal of the operating system - to become a ubiquitous distribution channel for Google services - remains unchanged. But now that two of its biggest stars have left the company, how will Android change and who will change it?

The Verge spoke with current and former Google employees, as well as others who worked with members of the Android team, to understand what's going on with Android management and what its priorities are. It remains to be seen how Google will fill the void left by Barr's departure. But from interviews with interested people, it becomes clear what Android will lose if Barra works for Xiaomi, and how the company will cope in search of a replacement.

Barra was a very smart executive for Android, and he cared about good design and live product demos. A native of Brazil, he is well-versed in mobile technology, having spent five years working on mobile voice search and messaging at Nuance Communications. He joined Google in March 2008 as head of the mobile development group and became head of the Android department two years later.

The Android development team is believed to be dismissive of all outsiders, even Googlers from neighboring departments. Former employees recall that sometimes Android managers don't even return calls to their colleagues. For some time, the Android canteen was inaccessible to people from outside. The origin of this approach is attributed to Andy Rubin: on the one hand, he is a visionary leader, on the other, he was not very interested in establishing relations with the outside world. In Rubin's time, collaboration consisted only of discussion of code and documentation, almost nothing else. “Collaborating” with Android meant making apps for it or working with an API—like Google Wallet, which was created and released during Rubin’s reign.

For people from outside, Barra was unusually friendly - he was smiling and quickly found a common language with his colleagues. He has mastered the most important corporate art: presentation. Colleagues said that he was exactly the one needed if a spectacular demonstration was required. Especially if it’s related to Android, because Andy Rubin would never be persuaded to do something like that.

Barr has always had a clear vision and understanding of the product. According to colleagues, the Android team often repeated phrases like: “Hugo won’t like this,” or “This won’t take off because Hugo is against it.”

At the same time, Barra did not work in a vacuum. "It's important to remember that the bench here is long," says one former employee. “They have a lot of smart people. There must be a really cool person out there waiting in the wings.”

With Barr gone, Google will choose someone from its leadership team to help Android grow. As head of the department, Pichai was able to quickly integrate Android and the rest of the company's products. His colleagues are grateful to him for transforming the system from a closed kingdom into a more open environment; They are even more grateful to him for the fact that this product is very thoughtful and accessible. For Pichai, “collaboration” refers to face-to-face interaction with employees and a more engaging social environment.

Pichai has one of the most extensive and important portfolios at Google, raising questions about how much attention he is able to devote to Android on a day-to-day basis. But by all indications, since Pichai took the reins, he has always been very deeply involved in all the important decisions regarding the operating system.

Hiroshi Lockheimer reports to Pichai - he's a longtime Android manager who just happened to be in the spotlight alongside Rubin and Barra. Lockheimer is vice president of Android development and was mentioned in both of their farewell letters. Rubin wrote: "Hiroshi Lockheimer - many of you know him well - and the rest of Android management will work closely with our partners to develop the system." During Pichai's tenure, Lockheimer assumed a more prominent position within the department, often speaking at internal question-and-answer sessions, colleagues said.

Another key player who still remains on the team is Mathias Duart, Director of Android Design. Duarte, who previously held a similar position at Palm during the development of webOS, took the leadership of Android at a time when it was in dire need of a design rethink. Duarte started with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, trying to create an OS that was both modern and consistent - although the process is far from complete. Mathias and many other teams within Google worked together to create a new visual language that was spreading throughout the company. He is praised by his colleagues for revitalizing Android design. “Android has never had guidelines,” explains one employee. “But all this quickly appeared when Matthias arrived.”

Sources say Mathias was highly influential within Google, playing a key role in the development of Chrome for Android, among other things. But multiple informants believe he is likely to maintain his current design-focused position.

Another notable figure in the Android camp is development director Dave Bjork, who demonstrates a stunningly deep understanding of the software challenges facing the OS. Colleagues call him a "solid" part of the team, noting that he manages the development of the platform that is the "heart and soul" of Android. At last year's Google I/O, Björk took the stage to talk about Project Butter, a major effort to get Android animations to run at 60 frames per second. Bjork is much less known outside the department, and it is unknown how his role will change under the new system. But if Google wants to give a promotion to an engineer who can communicate with ordinary people, then Björk is ideal.

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Google will have to hurry up to find a new face for Android.

If Google wants to make other faces more visible, the company still has plenty to choose from. For example, Joanna Wright, the highly regarded VP of Search and Assistance, responsible for Google Now; or Jamie Rosenberg, VP of Digital Content in charge of Google Play. The list does not include Vic Gundotra, senior vice president of Google+ - according to internal data, he is not being considered as a candidate for inclusion in Android management.

The list of tasks for the new Android team is huge. The same problems remain: an overly fragmented ecosystem (too many different devices running on different firmware versions), or developer frustrations associated with difficult user payments on Google Play. New problems are emerging: the spread of Android to new types of devices - for example, wearables or connected to a TV. These products need a focused manager who can both oversee their development and explain their purpose to a wider audience. So far, Barra has performed this role admirably. Now Google will have a hard time finding a new brand ambassador, someone who the Android team trusts and who is comfortable on stage.

Google has some brilliant minds involved in developing the next version of Android - and, of course, the devices that will run it. But suddenly, for the first time in three years, Barr will not be among them. Rubin remains at Google, working in secret while his successor Pichai works to bring the kingdom of Android into the rest of the company. Pichai's biggest challenge is making sure his managers can meet Android's ambitions. The decisions he makes now will shape the fate of Android—and Google—for years to come.

This material is a translation of Casey Newton's original article “ New faces of Android: inside Google's management shuffle ” on The Verge.

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