Andy Rubin, Android Creator, Steps Away From Firm Amid Misconduct Report<br />A spokesman for Mr. Rubin disputed the idea that Mr. Rubin had been involved in inappropriate behavior during his time at Google.<br />Mr. Rubin, who now runs the smartphone hardware start-up Essential, asked to take a leave of absence<br />this month to address personal matters, Shari Doherty, an Essential spokeswoman said.<br />A former Google executive who is widely credited with creating Android smartphone software has taken a leave of absence from the start-up he now runs, the company said on Wednesday — a day after a report<br />that he was involved in an inappropriate relationship with a female subordinate while he was at Google.<br />The inquiry found that the relationship was inappropriate<br />because the woman worked on the Android team while Mr. Rubin was leading it, this person said.<br />“Any relationship that Mr. Rubin had while at Google was consensual<br />and did not involve any person who reported to him,” Michael Sitrick, the spokesman, said.<br />Rubin was never told by Google that he engaged in any misconduct while at Google and he did not, either while Google or since.”<br />Google declined to comment on Wednesday on the circumstances surrounding Mr. Rubin’s departure.
