Dave Burke retires as VP of Android engineering

4 months ago 65

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After 14 years of steering Android’s engineering efforts, Dave Burke has announced his retirement from his vice president role.

In a post on X, Burke said, “it’s time for a change,” signalling the end of his tenure that saw Android grow from a fledgling platform to a global powerhouse.

So… after 14 yrs leading Android engineering, I've decided it's time for a change. An awe-inspiring ride helping build the biggest OS on the planet (+ many Nexus/Pixel). I'm forever grateful for the opp. Continuing as advisor while figuring out what's next in AI/bio. More here:…

— Dave Burke (@davey_burke) June 13, 2024

Burke joined Google in 2007 and became VP of Engineering for Android in 2014. On LinkedIn, he elaborated on his decision to leave the role to explore “AI / bio projects” within Google, with support from CEO Sundar Pichai.

“AI has the potential to play a pivotal role in accelerating drug discovery, with wide applicability, including in hard-to-treat paediatric cancers, a topic close to my heart,” Burke stated, hinting at the direction of his future endeavours.

Throughout his time at Google, Burke has been instrumental in shaping Android’s evolution, overseeing numerous product developments and becoming a familiar face at Google I/O, where he often showcased upcoming platform features.

Reflecting on his journey, Burke remarked, “At the end of the day, what I’m most proud of is the team I helped build as we scaled Android users 3000x from 1 million to over 3 billion.”

Burke’s departure comes amid significant organisational changes at Google.

In April, Google announced the merger of its software and hardware divisions into a unified Platforms & Devices team under Rick Osterloh’s leadership. This restructuring also saw Hiroshi Lockheimer, another long-standing Android figure, transition to an advisory role before taking on a new executive sponsor position for Google in Japan.

Reports suggest that Burke’s exit is part of the ongoing reorganisation within the newly formed Platforms & Devices team. While Burke did not name his successor, he assured a smooth transition: “It’s important for me to leave you in good hands with a well thought out succession plan. We’ll be following up shortly with some additional specifics about this change, so please keep an eye out for that.”

As Burke prepares to embark on his next chapter, his legacy at Android remains indelible. From shepherding the platform through exponential growth to fostering a team that brought Android to billions of users worldwide, Burke’s impact on the mobile landscape is undeniable.

The tech community now awaits further announcements from Google regarding the future leadership of Android engineering and the continued evolution of the platform in Burke’s absence.

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Tags: android, dave burke, google, platforms