Android Co-founder Teases A Mysterious Device And All We Can Do Is Wait

Android co-founder Andy Rubin is teasing us with a potential smart device of the future and this comes as we expect the official announcement of the Samsung Galaxy S8 anytime now. It also came just days before Apple unveiled its red iPhone 7 and days after the release of the iOS 10.3.

Mr. Rubin is “really excited” and from the image above, it looks like a big screen device and that’s all we know for now. We don’t also know if it’s something we should be looking out for anytime soon or whether it will be launched in a specific market.   

The news here is that a tease tweet from an Android co-founder about a future device could be a big thing.

Mr. Rubin is also the Founder/CEO of Playground

Since that initial tease, speculation has swirled that Rubin’s Playground incubator is gearing up to challenge the very companies it helped launch. Industry insiders suggest the new device could blend the best of Android’s customisability with premium hardware design—potentially featuring an edge‑to‑edge display, ultra‑slim bezels, and a titanium frame to stand apart from the sea of glass‑and‑aluminium flagships. Rumours also hint at modular attachments—echoing Rubin’s long‑championed vision of a phone you can upgrade piece by piece rather than replacing wholesale.

On the software front, Playground has reportedly been experimenting with a more “pure” build of Android, free from carrier bloatware, and optimized for speed and security. There’s talk of a built‑in AI concierge that learns your habits over time—managing notifications, scheduling reminders, and even offering real‑time language translation. Given Rubin’s passion for robotics (his earlier ventures include a humanoid robot startup), some expect advanced sensor arrays or gesture‑based controls that go beyond today’s touch and voice interfaces.

As for timing, insiders peg a late‑summer reveal, possibly at a private event for media and select partners, with a broader launch before the holiday shopping season. Whether Playground will sell directly online like new‑wave OEMs, or partner with carriers for wider reach, remains to be seen. What is clear is that Rubin’s return to the hardware arena has stirred excitement—and raised the bar for what “another Android phone” might look like in 2017 and beyond. If you’ve been waiting for a genuinely novel smartphone experience, keep your eyes on Andy Rubin’s Playground—the next few months could bring one of the year’s most intriguing device launches.

This story was updated in 2025