What it is advisable to know
- Dave Burke declares that he is transferring away from his position main Android engineering, however will proceed as an advisor.
- Burke is searching for new “AI/bio initiatives” inside Google, though particulars on his successor haven’t but been revealed.
- Burke is without doubt one of the newest Android results in transition away into a brand new position following the key Platforms & Units reorg earlier this 12 months.
In a shock announcement on Wednesday, long-time Android engineering VP Dave Burke revealed that he’s stepping away from his position. Burke stated in a submit on X that “it is time for a change” after 14 years main Android engineering and that he’ll proceed as an advisor in the intervening time.
Burke additional elaborates on his choice to depart from his position in a prolonged e-mail to his colleagues that he shared through LinkedIn, explaining that he’s “exploring AI / bio initiatives” inside Google with the assistance of CEO Sundar Pichai.
“AI has the potential to play a pivotal position in accelerating drug discovery, with vast applicability, together with in hard-to-treat pediatric cancers, a subject near my coronary heart,” Burke says within the submit.
Burke began working at Google in 2007 and have become VP of Engineering for Android in 2014. He had a serious hand in numerous merchandise, as outlined in his submit, and helped form Android into what it’s in the present day. He is additionally a serious presence at Google I/O, the place he has demonstrated the most recent options coming to the platform. “However on the finish of the day, what I am most pleased with is the workforce I helped construct as we scaled Android customers 3000x from 1 million to over 3 billion.”
Burke’s departure seemingly underscores main modifications occurring inside Google. The corporate introduced in April that it was restructuring and mixing its software program and {hardware} divisions into one Platforms & Units workforce below the management of Rick Osterloh. Through the announcement, it was revealed that long-time Android lead Hiroshi Lockheimer was stepping away from his position and transferring onto an advisory position through the transition earlier than kickstarting a brand new govt sponsor position for Google in Japan.
In the meantime, 9to5Google discovered from sources that Burke’s departure could also be a part of a reorganization of the newly shaped Platforms & Units workforce. Android Central reached out to Google for a touch upon Burke’s departure and the alleged reorganization, however a spokesperson stated they’d nothing to share.
In the meantime, Burke’s announcement didn’t point out who would succeed him, however he stated extra particulars would come quickly.
“It is vital for me to go away you in good arms with a nicely thought out succession plan. We’ll be following up shortly with some further specifics about this transformation, so please hold a watch out for that.”