Rubin, the founder of Android, entered Apple in 1989. Not long after joining Apple, Rubin, who has a playful nature, put on a "good show" and "transformed" the company's internal phone system. As a result, his colleagues in the same project team received calls from what seemed to be the company's CEO Scully, saying that they would be given special stock option awards. Of course it was a prank played by Rubin.
At that time, Jobs had long been kicked out of Apple, but the atmosphere of technological innovation was still there, and all kinds of creative ideas were flying around, but some were not focused.
In 1990, Apple spun off Rubin's department and established a new company to develop Magic Cap, a smartphone operating system.
In 1994, smart terminals using Magic Cap were launched on the market, causing a sensation in the industry. In the famous "Internet Tide" memo written in 1995, Gates was very worried about the impact this product might have on Microsoft.
However, the product concept was too advanced and was not well received in the market. The company subsequently declined. Finally, Microsoft acquired its intellectual property rights. Subsequently, three Apple veterans founded Artemis, and Rubin was invited to join. In 1997, Microsoft acquired Artemis.
"There is no choice but the flowers fall away, and the familiar swallows return." Rubin also followed into Microsoft. He then built a walking robot equipped with a camera and microphone that wandered around Microsoft and recorded what it saw and heard. Unfortunately, Microsoft at this time is no longer the company that tolerated alternative and rebellious spirits in its early years. Over the weekend, Microsoft security personnel discovered that the computer controlling the robot had been hacked. Although hackers have not discovered that the computer is mobile and has camera functions, Rubin's product still annoyed Microsoft's security team, who asked Rubin to put the robot into limbo immediately.
Author Jay Colvin once said, "The true path to greatness is your choice. The question is: How much do you want it?"
Desire to leave a mark in the history of technology Rubin left Microsoft with a fortune and founded Danger. At Danger, Rubin created the Sidekick, a soap-like, Internet-enabled smartphone.
In the spring of 2002, Google founders Larry and Sergey wore this soap-shaped "toy" - a smartphone on their belts. They show it off wherever they go and use it online, using Google's search engine.
To be honest, the shape of the phone at that time was too ugly and did not catch Steve Jobs's eye. However, Larry and Sergey already felt that the mobile Internet trend would eventually come, so they maintained close contact with Andy Rubin.
Soon, Rubin left Danger Company and founded the Android company. The word Android originated from the French writer Lil Adam in the science fiction novel "The Eve of the Future" published in 1886. The human-like machine is named Android. Coincidentally, Adam and Eve have something to do with apples.
Android investor Pearlman once said of Rubin: "He is the kind of wizard who likes welding guns, is also obsessed with writing programs, and is good at business strategy."
In 2004, Rubin paid for a plane ticket with his own money to visit Samsung in South Korea to promote the newly developed Android mobile operating system. Wearing jeans, Rubin and an entourage entered a large Samsung conference room, where 20 Samsung executives in blue formal suits lined up against the wall. After Rubin demonstrated the system, Samsung executives started laughing and said, "There are only 8 people in your company doing this, but we have invested 2,000 people in this area..."
As a result, Samsung Missed opportunity to acquire Android companies.
The next year, Google finally made up its mind and acquired Android for $50 million. Rubin became Google's vice president of engineering and continued to be responsible for the Android project.
Microsoft acquired Danger and is also strengthening its presence in the mobile Internet. Rubin's development history in Silicon Valley formed a complex cause-and-effect diagram for Apple, Microsoft, and Google.
During this time, Apple also began to draw its own smartphone blueprint.
"Android is currently just a piece of paper, and it is difficult to compare with other mobile operating systems." When Google released the Android system in November 2007, Microsoft CEO Ballmer dismissed it, "Google is currently just Send out a press release, and we have millions of users, lots of great software, and countless hardware devices. Welcome Google to our world."
The famous American science fiction writer Isaac? Asimov said: "If you only consider the way the world is now without considering what the world will be like in the future, you will never be able to make wise decisions.
In March 2009, Ballmer Android was once again ridiculed in public, saying that "no one cares about it except in Silicon Valley." "Under Ballmer's sarcasm, Android developed rapidly.
Subsequently, to Microsoft's shock, Motorola, which played an important role in the field of mobile phones, began to turn to Google and became a general in the Android camp. In the smartphone industry In the field of mobile phones, Motorola has cooperated with Microsoft and Apple, and they are inextricably linked.
Microsoft took action and began to claim that Android infringed on its intellectual property rights. The scope of patent infringement ranged from user interface to basic software. Operating systems and many other aspects. Microsoft then targeted Motorola, claiming that its Android smartphones infringed on nine of its patents. Google quickly stood up to support its allies, and its spokesperson said: "We are not satisfied with this. Very disappointed with the lawsuit. Although we are not a defendant in the lawsuit, we will firmly support the Android platform and the partners who help us grow it. "
Patent lawyer Mark Kesselen commented: "Microsoft's move is an attempt to recover losses after the company lost its competitive advantage. In the smartphone market, Apple and Android have great advantages. Microsoft is trying to compete for lost market share through patent litigation. ”
Since Apple’s iPhone is self-contained and its operating system and mobile phone hardware are controlled by Apple itself, all mobile phone manufacturers other than Apple are competitors of the iPhone. Apple plays the role of overlord. Role.
Google and Microsoft provide operating systems to all mobile phone manufacturers. Google's is free (in the early days), while Microsoft is charged. Google and Microsoft compete for the leadership in the mobile Internet era. Role.
“Google’s vision for Android phones is Microsoft’s vision to dominate every PC operating system. "Ivan Seidenberg, CEO of U.S. telecom operator Verizon, said, "People like me want to ensure the distribution of platforms and devices. Is Google interested in cutting us off? Yes. He had previously said that Google's entry into other people's industries would wake up the sleeping "bears" in the forest, and these bears would run out of the woods and chase Google "to the ground."
"Googled: The End of the World as We Know It" Author: Ken Auletta, Publisher: Virgin Books, 2011
"Moving Storm" Author: Fred. Vogelstein, Translator: Zhu Bangqian, Publisher: CITIC Press, 2014
"Google Storm" Author: Jiang Hongjun, Publisher: Science Press, 2012
"Geeks: The Innovative Genes That Change the World" Author: Jiang Hongjun, Science Press, 2013
The author of this article, Jiang Hongjun, is the author of "Geeks: The Innovative Genes That Change the World" and "Jobs and His Rivals" They", "Lei Jun: Doing the Right Thing at the Right Time", "Microsoft Dynasty Crisis", "Biographies of China's Internet Business Heroes", "Conversations with Emerging CEOs" and other books.