Andy Rubin is back to heading Essential after roughly a month’s leave since November last month. Earlier reports point to an internal investigation of Rubin who allegedly had an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate in the company. The Android co-founder has since returned to his Essential startup, according to a report by Recode.
Rubin acknowledged the relationship but has denied any wrongdoing, claiming that the relationship was consensual. Surprisingly, Rubin still turned up for work at his venture capital company Playground Global, which backed the Essential Phone project. Ironically, Playground Global happens to be in the same block as Essential.
While both Andy Rubin and Essential have declined to comment on his return, it should be good news for the company which launched its first ever smartphone the Essential Phone earlier this year. Given the hype and the anticipation leading towards the unveiling of the phone, it failed to capture the consumer market, which is unfortunate for a company led by a co-founder of Android.
The Essential Phone is by no means a bad phone, and the company has come a long way with a ton of updates to improve its software especially the camera app. The flagship standard device has since seen a significant price drop, making it much more affordable than before.