<p>One big loss at the world's most popular smartphone platform has been followed by another. Five months after Android founder Andy Rubin left his creation to work on unspecified other projects inside Google, head of Android product management Hugo Barra quit to take a job at upstart Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi. And while there are clear potential benefits for both parties in the move having Barra as an ally inside the explosive Chinese market could prove hugely profitable to Google he also leaves a void at Android.</p><p>Rubin and Barra were the faces of Android</p><p>To the outside world, Rubin and Barra were the faces of Android, with Barra regularly appearing onstage at events to explain its changing look and features. Along with vice president for engineering Hiroshi Lockheimer, Rubin and Barra were seen as Android's most influential voices on product decisions, guiding Android's rapid evolution while carefully building out its feature set. "Andy, Hiroshi, and Hugo were the triumvirate of Android," a former co-worker said. "Those were the dudes that make Android work."</p><p>Today, Android is led by one of Google's brightest executives, Sundar Pichai, whose charge also includes both the mobile operating system group and the Chrome and Google Apps divisions he oversaw previously. Google says Barra was part of a strong Android leadership team that is still in place. The operating system's basic goal to become a ubiquitous channel for delivering Google services remains unchanged. But now that two of its biggest stars have moved on, how will Android change and who will change it?</p><p><a href="http://www.theverge.com/2013/8/30/4675746/new-faces-of-android-the-inside-story-of-googles-management-shuffle">Keep reading...</a></p><p>Read also:</p><p><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/android-executive-leaves-google-for-chinese-firm/2013/08/29/2763161c-10f3-11e3-bdf6-e4fc677d94a1_story.html">Android executive leaves Google for Chinese firm</a> (Washington Post (blog))</p><p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323324904579042404027828202.html">Google Android Executive Joins Chinese Startup Xiaomi</a> (Wall Street Journal)</p><p><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2013/08/28/report-hugo-barra-leaves-android-team-for-xiaomi/">Report: Hugo Barra Leaves Android Team for Xiaomi (Updated)</a> (Droid Life)</p><p>Explore: <a href="http://news.google.com/news/more?ncl=dXSpdzELcjHDOyMkq7I0K7LfdSJ4M&ned=us">209 additional articles.</a></p>