Vice president of Android
product management Mr. Hugo Barra has announced he’s joining Android smartphone
maker Xiaomi as vice president of its global team to expand the device-maker’s
product portfolio and worldwide reach.
The news, which was first
reported by AllThingsD,
followed closely reports about a split between Google co-founder Sergey Brin
and his wife Anne Wojcicki. The reports suggest that Brin is now seeing another
Google employee who was previously seeing Barra. The third Google employee has
not been named. Barra tendered his resignation before the drama involving Brin
unfolded.
Xiaomi is one of a number of
Chinese smartphone makers that have been gaining market share in China against
foreign rivals like Apple and Nokia. Until recently, these Chinese companies
seemed happy with their rising sales in China, the biggest smartphone market,
but now companies like Xiaomi, Lenovo and Huawei seem intent on expanding
internationally.
Mr. Barra said in a
statement posted on a Google social networking service that he intended to
help Xiaomi “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,” he wrote.
“We wish Hugo Barra the best,”
Google said in a statement. “We’ll miss him at Google and we’re excited that he
is staying within the Android ecosystem.”
No comments:
Post a Comment