• The Wall Street Journal , Tuesday, January 20, 2009 1 PM

Google on Tuesday lost the engineering director who helped oversee the development of the Android mobile operating system to Coupons, Inc., a software maker, The Wall Street Journal reports. Coupons, whose software helps marketers create, distribute and track coupons, will now add Steven Horrowitz as its chief technology officer. Horrowitz's move follows that of Dipchand Nishar, former VP of products, who left Google for social networking site LinkedIn. Andy Rubin, the Google exec who has spearheaded the Android effort recruited Horrowitz in February 2006.

In an interview with the Journal, Horrowitz said that after "spending so much time and energy" on Android, it was time to move on. He added that the recession has actually accelerated business at Coupons, making it a particularly good time for him to move. In fact, he said Coupons plans to hire 40 new employees by the end of next month.

Horrowitz remains optimistic about Android, however, noting that the mobile software platform is "at the beginning of transforming the mobile industry." His departure comes at an awkward time for the Android team, the Journal says: after focusing on releasing the first version of the software late last year, the team is now focused on making it work with a greater variety of phones and other devices, especially netbooks, which are a kind of low-end, light weight, portable computer.

Read the whole story at The Wall Street Journal »