Samsung and LG, the nation’s top two electronics companies, appeared to be bristling at claims from Google’s Andy Rubin that he had unsuccessfully pitched the Android operating system to them.

In the Wall Street Journal’s Aug. 17 edition, Rubin was quoted as saying he had made the proposals to both Samsung and LG but was turned down by both.

Samsung Electronics on Thursday said that the proposal had actually been for a different type of technology.

“It was not a technology regarding Android platforms,” said one company official.

The electronics firm’s former vice chairman Lee Ki-tae also earlier confirmed Rubin had visited when he was vice president of a design firm but had made no overtures involving smartphone operating platforms.

LG Electronics said it was not in a position to comment on the issue and emphasized it had no particular views regarding comments from an executive from another company.

Industry sources, however, said LG seemed to have looked into the matter but did not appear eager to make any confirmations.

“Rubin probably did make the proposal, but how convincing and enthusiastic he was is also important because the attitude would have played a large part in the Korean companies’ decisions to accept or dismiss the idea,” said one industry watcher, declining to be identified.

Local phonemakers had come under fire a few years back when Apple’s iPhones were rolled out to completely alter the mobile phone landscape.

Samsung and LG has been avidly working to cover the distance, and Samsung recently has been making progress with its Galaxy S II and its 10.1-display tablet.

LG also has been wooing more consumers with affordable smartphones featuring distinguished features, such as 3-D functions.

Rubin said after both firms turned him down, he joined hands with Taiwan-based smartphone maker HTC to build the first Android-based phones, the G1.

Afterwards, he began to work closely with Google, which eventually in 2005 acquired Android.

Rubin said the proposal to LG Electronics was made after that, in 2007.

The Android is now the most widely used software on smartphones in the U.S.

By Kim Ji-hyun (jemmie@heraldcorp.com)