J
Jared Peters
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As many of us know, Android originally started as a project by Andy Rubin as a company completely separate from Google. It wasn’t until 2005 that Google scooped up the mobile operating system, and a few more years until we actually saw it make an impact on the mobile market. However, it turns out that Google wasn’t Rubin’s first choice to find funding for Android. The Android team originally tried to get one of the biggest manufacturers to take up the project.
In 2004, Andy Rubin and the Android team flew to South Korea to talk with Samsung about securing funding for Android, but instead of any enthusiasm, Samsung reportedly laughed the team out of the board room, considering their small development team size. Hindsight is 20/20, of course, but Samsung still laughed at the group of guys that would eventually go on to completely flip the smartphone industry on its head. Fast forward a few years, and Android is arguably one of Samsung’s most valuable assets.
After being turned down by Samsung, Rubin met with Larry Page, which ended up with Google buying Android completely, then going on to make a massively successful mobile operating system. We all know that story, but it’s interesting to think what could have been if Samsung had just a little more foresight about where the technology industry was heading.
source: Amazon
via: Phone Arena
Come comment on this article: Samsung turned down the chance to buy Android in 2004
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