Stephen Horowitz is leaving his engineering director job at Google, where he helped build its Android mobile operating system. He’s moving on to become the chief technology officer at Coupons, Inc., a company that runs a wide range of print and online coupon services. So what does this tell us about where Android’s headed?

Android’s goal, as we’ve been covering for a number of months, is to become more than just a platform for cell phone applications. Google expects to port the OS to a variety of devices—including, I’ll assume, kitchen appliances. That’s what Horowitz’s move seems to indicate, since he hints that his role at Coupons will be to take coupons to places we haven’t seen them before.

After an interview with Horowitz, The Wall Street Journal reported:

In his new role, Mr. Horowitz says he plans to work on Coupon’s mobile offering while eyeing other distribution channels as well. These days even kitchen appliances can be connected to the Internet, he notes. “Our goal is to get ahead.”

If both coupons and Android are coming to fridges, does that mean I’ll eventually be able to download a beer coupon off my Frigidaire, and carry it to Safeway with me on an Android smartphone?

People always want easy access to coupons, and even more so in a recession. That’s one reason why there’s an opportunity here. Another reasons is that Android’s already winning some popularity among device-makers.

It seems Horowitz has spotted a niche opportunity for digital coupons anywhere. The Android team itself still appears to be largely in place, so his move doesn’t seem to be a reflection on its progress. Indeed, Samsung and other major producers have their own Android plans coming to fruition. This means that the market for Android phones—and other Android devices—is likely to grow fast. And other connected devices are in the works, like these five brands of high-tech refrigerators.

[Image via techeblog]