Andy Rubin is one of the original creators of Android and Apple may summon him to testify in a new trial set for late-March as part of the ongoing Apple v. Samsung legal battle. According to a report by TUAW, a witness list Apple filed with the court last week has revealed the iPhone maker is considering calling Rubin to testify on the potentially sensitive topics of the development of infringing Android features. He may also be asked to comment on “Google documents relating to such development”…
Also on Apple’s witness list, according to TUAW:
- Fred Quintana, a software developer at Google
- Kenzo Fong Hing, Google’s current Head of Android Marketing
- Ann Hsieh, a User Experience Researcher at Google
- Hiroshi Lockheimer, a Google VP of Engineering.
- Helena Roeber, a User Experience expert who worked at Google from 2005-2012 where she spearheaded “all aspects of user research” on Android
As for Samsung’s witness list, we know the Galaxy maker wants to call Apple’s SVP of Worldwide Marketing, Phil Schiller. Apple’s former iOS creator Scott Forstall and Vice President of iPhone & iOS Product Marketing, Greg Joswiak, could take the witness stand as well.
Note that Rubin has never testified in legal battles between Apple and Samsung.
Before joining Google in 2005 following the search giants acquisition of his Android software, Rubin worked for several Silicon Valley companies, including the 1989-1992 stint as Apple’s manufacturing engineer.
Last March, Google in a surprise announcement said Andy Rubin was stepping down as the head of the Android platform to take on new company projects.
Since December 2013, he’s been managing a new robotics division at Google, including startups acquired by the search firm like Boston Dynamics and AI startup DeepMind.
The Wall Street Journal shed more light on Rubin’s recent work, claiming his robotics division aims to do for home automation and manufacturing what Android did for smartphones and tablets.
Apparently, Rubin’s team is in talks with Foxconn on helping speed up robot deployment at Foxconn plants. These machines would reportedly run Google’s upcoming robotic operating system for manufacturers.