The founder of Android is back with a startup for surveillance

• ByStartupStory     |    October 27, 2022

Simple Things, a new Palo Alto, California-based firm founded by former Google executive Andy Rubin, is supposed to create security monitoring software for a variety of hardware items like cameras, sensors, motion detectors, and cameras. 

Rubin tried his hand at starting a smartphone business called Essential before Simple Things. Before finally going out of business in 2020, he was able to secure $300 million in capital from companies like Tencent and Redpoint Ventures. A new phone firm called OSOM, founded by some former workers of Essential, is now working on producing a new model in collaboration with Solana Mobile.

Rubin founded Simple Things soon after Essential stopped down, hiring several ex-Essential and OSOM personnel. Rubin’s investment in home security comes at a good moment because tech giants like Google and Amazon are showing growing interest in the industry. Even Roku has gotten on board by releasing its own line of home security cameras. It’s conceivable that Simple Things will find some businesses eager to work with it.

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