Post-Android, Google’s Andy Rubin Has Been Busy On Facebook

What did Andy Rubin do the day it was announced he was moving on from Android to a “new chapter” at Google? He made a nostalgic post not on Twitter, not on Google+ but rather on Facebook, where he’s suddenly been busy.

I know Rubin has had his Facebook account for at least several months, if not longer, because I’ve followed him there for some time. He just wasn’t active.

That all changed on March 5, about a week before the news of his shift away from Android was announced. On that day, he updated his profile picture:

That same day, he also added information to his Facebook Timeline detailing his work history, at least based on the fact that several photos associated with that timeline, such as his first day at Google or his Apple business card, all have a March 5 upload date.

On March 13 — the day Google announced Rubin was moving from Android to start a “new chapter” to produce more “moonshots” at Google, Rubin posted to Facebook a short, cute video of his dog playing on a Reactrix STEPscape pad in the Android offices in 2005, the year Google acquired Android.

All’s Quiet On The Google+ Front

Over on his employer’s social network, Google+, Rubin posted nothing that day to the public on his Google+ account (he did share the dog video on Google+ soon after it launched, in July 2011).

Rubin still hasn’t posted to Google+ since the job change. His last public post there was last September 15, which was in response to Aliyun pushing its own version of Android:

Similarly, his Twitter account has been quiet since last September:

Further Facebook Posts

The day after the announcement, Rubin updated his Facebook cover photo (showing him using what appears to be a Sidekick, rather than an Android phone). Then today, two more posts (FYI, all of his posts have been public). First, one a walk with his dog (I’m assuming it is his dog, named Cosmo):

And the latest, a YouTube video of quad copters flying to draw the Star Trek logo:

I noticed this all happening, because I’m one of the few people who follow Rubin on Facebook, and his posts started hitting my news feed today. Rubin currently has only 92 followers on Facebook, versus 46,857 on Google+ and 60,371 Twitter. No doubt his followers on Facebook are low because he really hasn’t had any presence there.

By the way, while it can be tricky to tell if profiles are real on Facebook or not, I’m virtually certain this is really Rubin’s. Several prominent people from Google and Facebook also follow this account.

Why that’s suddenly changed is anyone’s guess, but it certainly feels noteworthy.

About The Author

Danny Sullivan

Danny Sullivan was a journalist and analyst who covered the digital and search marketing space from 1996 through 2017. He was also a cofounder of Third Door Media, which publishes Search Engine Land, Marketing Land, MarTech Today and produces the SMX: Search Marketing Expo and MarTech events. He retired from journalism and Third Door Media in June 2017. You can learn more about him on his personal site & blog He can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.