The co-creator of Android wants to make his own smartphones

Andy Rubin is known to most as the co-creator of Android, and though he left Google over a year ago to assist hardware-based startups in their endeavors, Android is still close to his heart. In fact, it looks like Rubin is returning to the world of Android, but rather than go back to working on the operating system itself, Rubin wants to build a smartphone company of his own, which will naturally release Android-powered devices. 

It’s been almost 3 years since Andy Rubin — better known as the father of the Android OS — stepped down from his position at Google to build, what else, but actual androids inside Google X Labs. It wasn’t until almost a full year later we learned he’d be leaving Google altogether, spreading his wings by launching Playground Global, an “incubator” for hardware-based startups. After all that time, it appears Rubin is once again returning to the operating system he helped create. Not working on the software, mind you, but by helping create new hardware for the platform. The Information is reporting that Rubin is now looking to recruit people to help build a new “phone company,” (likely through the Playground Global Fund). Their OS of choice? You guessed it — Android. After raising $48 million back in April, Playground has now managed to raise around $300 million, so that gives them a little bit of money to work with.