Schmidt: Google’s Chrome, Android to Stay Separate

Last week, Google announced that Andy Rubin of Android fame will be moving to a still undefined role while Sundar Pichai, in-charge of Google’s Chrome web browser and applications like Google Drive and Gmail, will be taking on Rubin’s responsibilities in addition to his. This had added more fuel to the fire that Android and Chrome OS will eventually merge as one.

Google Executive Chairman, Eric Schmidt, who is on an Asian tour to promote Internet access, said that Chrome and Android operating systems will remain separate products but could have more overlap.

Schmidt, Google’s chief executive from 2001 to 2011, has been travelling around Asia and speaking about issues involving technology and world affairs. His major objective is to make Internet more accessible, free and open.

In January,he visited North Korea to talk about free and open Internet.

After the Indian capital, he is visiting Myanmar, which is seen as the last virgin territory for businesses in Asia.

In January he went to North Korea, saying it was a personal trip to talk about a free and open Internet. This week he was in India and was openly showcasing what the Indian Government is doing wrong in this matter.

(Also Read: Which Internet Will India Choose – Free or Censored)

In 2011, India passed a law that obliges social media companies to remove a range of objectionable content when requested to do so, a move criticized at the time by human rights groups and companies.

Less than one-tenth of India’s 1.2 billion population has access to the internet. Although with low cost mobile phones and tablets coupled with better cellular connectivity, this number is increasing.

Schmidt also said rumors he may be leaving Google were “completely false.” He was responding to a question on whether his plan to sell about 42 percent of his Google stake was a signal that he was leaving the world’s No.1 search engine.

“Google is my home,” he said, adding that he had no plans to take on a job in government.