Startup: Google Android Executive, Hugo Barra Joins Chinese Startup Xiaomi (OnlineWSJ)
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| Startup: Google Android Executive, Hugo Barra Joins Chinese Startup Xiaomi (OnlineWSJ) - Hugo Barra |
One of Google Inc.'s GOOG -1.00% top Android executives has left the company for a little-known Chinese phone maker, furthering a change in leadership at the company's mobile-software division.
Hugo Barra will help with a new push by Xiaomi—pronounced sheow-mee—to develop its international business and be responsible for its strategic cooperation with Google, Xiaomi said Thursday. Xiaomi, based in Beijing, has grown quickly in the world's largest smartphone market by offering inexpensive Android devices with top hardware specs.
Mr. Barra's departure comes a few months after Andy Rubin, who was in charge of the Android operating system, stepped down to work at other projects at Google. The change in guard occurred despite Android's dominance in the smartphone industry.
Mr. Barra, a vice president in charge of Android's product management, was one of the most visible under the new Android chief, Sundar Pichai. He recently appeared at a San Francisco event where Google showed off its new Nexus 7 tablet computer and was onstage at the company's I/O developer event in May.
Mr. Barra started at Google in 2008 after the company bought voice-recognition firm Nuance Communications Inc.NUAN +4.26% He became the director of product management for Android in 2010 and soon rose to prominence under Mr. Rubin.
The announcement of Mr. Barra's departure comes a day after the disclosure that Google co-founder Sergey Brin and his wife Anne Wojcicki have split. Ms. Wojcicki's sister, Susan, is a senior vice president at Google.
According to people familiar with the matter, Mr. Barra and Mr. Brin have both had a romantic relationship this year with Amanda Rosenberg, a marketing manager for the Google Glass product, the company's new line of high-tech eyewear developed under Mr. Brin. The timing and status of those relationships is unclear. Mr. Barra had considered leaving Google in the past few months, two of these people said.
Ms. Rosenberg is one of the company's most visible evangelists for the Google Glass product, who, like Mr. Brin, is often spotted sporting the device at social events in the technology industry.
Mr. Barra and Ms. Rosenberg couldn't be reached for comment. A spokeswoman for Mr. Brin and Ms. Wojcicki said on Wednesday, "We can confirm that Anne and Sergey have been living apart for several months. They remain good friends and partners." A spokesman at the Silicon Valley company confirmed Mr. Barra's departure and said: "We'll miss him at Google and we're excited that he is staying within the Android ecosystem."
The hiring was first reported by website All Things D, a unit of Wall Street Journal parent News Corp. Xiaomi's business model doesn't revolve around the hardware it sells, but rather software, service offerings and accessories. The company, which uses its website as its primary sales platform, offers an array of accessories as diverse as multicolored batteries, casings, hats and even dolls of Xiaomi's rabbit mascot.
It also now offers a set-top box that streams licensed Internet content for television sets and is integrated with the software the company runs on its phones, which are based on Google's Android operating system. The hiring of Mr. Barra shows Xiaomi has ambitions to grow beyond China. In April, the company made its first foray into markets outside of the Chinese mainland, selling its phones in Taiwan and Hong Kong.
In a statement posted on Google's social-networking platform, Mr. Barra wrote: "I'll be joining the Xiaomi team in China to help them expand their incredible product portfolio and business globally…I'm really looking forward to this new challenge, and am particularly excited about the opportunity to continue to help drive the Android ecosystem."
Hugo Barra will help with a new push by Xiaomi—pronounced sheow-mee—to develop its international business and be responsible for its strategic cooperation with Google, Xiaomi said Thursday. Xiaomi, based in Beijing, has grown quickly in the world's largest smartphone market by offering inexpensive Android devices with top hardware specs.
Mr. Barra's departure comes a few months after Andy Rubin, who was in charge of the Android operating system, stepped down to work at other projects at Google. The change in guard occurred despite Android's dominance in the smartphone industry.
Mr. Barra, a vice president in charge of Android's product management, was one of the most visible under the new Android chief, Sundar Pichai. He recently appeared at a San Francisco event where Google showed off its new Nexus 7 tablet computer and was onstage at the company's I/O developer event in May.
Mr. Barra started at Google in 2008 after the company bought voice-recognition firm Nuance Communications Inc.NUAN +4.26% He became the director of product management for Android in 2010 and soon rose to prominence under Mr. Rubin.
The announcement of Mr. Barra's departure comes a day after the disclosure that Google co-founder Sergey Brin and his wife Anne Wojcicki have split. Ms. Wojcicki's sister, Susan, is a senior vice president at Google.
According to people familiar with the matter, Mr. Barra and Mr. Brin have both had a romantic relationship this year with Amanda Rosenberg, a marketing manager for the Google Glass product, the company's new line of high-tech eyewear developed under Mr. Brin. The timing and status of those relationships is unclear. Mr. Barra had considered leaving Google in the past few months, two of these people said.
Ms. Rosenberg is one of the company's most visible evangelists for the Google Glass product, who, like Mr. Brin, is often spotted sporting the device at social events in the technology industry.
Mr. Barra and Ms. Rosenberg couldn't be reached for comment. A spokeswoman for Mr. Brin and Ms. Wojcicki said on Wednesday, "We can confirm that Anne and Sergey have been living apart for several months. They remain good friends and partners." A spokesman at the Silicon Valley company confirmed Mr. Barra's departure and said: "We'll miss him at Google and we're excited that he is staying within the Android ecosystem."
The hiring was first reported by website All Things D, a unit of Wall Street Journal parent News Corp. Xiaomi's business model doesn't revolve around the hardware it sells, but rather software, service offerings and accessories. The company, which uses its website as its primary sales platform, offers an array of accessories as diverse as multicolored batteries, casings, hats and even dolls of Xiaomi's rabbit mascot.
It also now offers a set-top box that streams licensed Internet content for television sets and is integrated with the software the company runs on its phones, which are based on Google's Android operating system. The hiring of Mr. Barra shows Xiaomi has ambitions to grow beyond China. In April, the company made its first foray into markets outside of the Chinese mainland, selling its phones in Taiwan and Hong Kong.
In a statement posted on Google's social-networking platform, Mr. Barra wrote: "I'll be joining the Xiaomi team in China to help them expand their incredible product portfolio and business globally…I'm really looking forward to this new challenge, and am particularly excited about the opportunity to continue to help drive the Android ecosystem."
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Category: Google Android, Hugo Barra, Startup, Xiaomi
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