Google Acquires Team Behind Android Emulator LeapDroid

Google has hired the team behind LeapDroid, a recently launched Android emulator for Windows. The announcement was made by LeapDroid in a post on its site, with the company adding it would be discontinuing the emulator.

The reasons behind the talent acquisition are not known, with the easiest speculation being Google is looking to boost the Android emulation it offers on the Chrome OS platform. The search giant may also be looking to augment its Android Instant Apps platform, and other app streaming technology it has been investing in over the years. Of course, Google could also be looking to use it in the oft-rumoured merger of Android and Chrome OS that's said to be called Andromeda.

LeapDroid on its website said it would be discontinuing development of the product, which is not being bought by Google. Existing users can continue to use the app, however, support will end and builds of the app will no longer be available. Silicon Valley-based LeapDroid was founded in April 2015 by Huan Ren and Huihong Luo, and the public build of the emulator was released in June 2016.

The search giant late last month announced it had picked up Eyefluence, a three-year-old startup that had been developing eye-tracking software for digital displays. Google has several interests for the technology, which enables users to interact with displays using their eyes, with the biggest being VR and AR.