iPhone head Mark Papermaster leaves Apple
Apple has announced the departure of Mark Papermaster, the head of its iPod and iPhone division. The company's Mac hardware engineering lead Bob Mansfield will assume his responsibilities.
The news immediately stoked speculation that Papermaster's departure might be connected to the negative media attention devoted to the iPhone 4 antenna, but Apple did not indicate whether Papermaster left on his own accord or was asked to leave.
Apple recruited Papermaster away from IBM less than two years ago. The hiring resulted in a legal battle between the two companies over IBM's worries that the executive might take too many of its secrets to Apple.
Apple and IBM reached a settlement in January of 2009 that enabled IBM to keep tabs on Papermater's duties at Apple.
Internal documents that turned up in the legal dispute with IBM revealed that Papermaster was not Apple's ideal choice to lead its iPod and iPhone operations.
The news immediately stoked speculation that Papermaster's departure might be connected to the negative media attention devoted to the iPhone 4 antenna, but Apple did not indicate whether Papermaster left on his own accord or was asked to leave.
Apple recruited Papermaster away from IBM less than two years ago. The hiring resulted in a legal battle between the two companies over IBM's worries that the executive might take too many of its secrets to Apple.
Apple and IBM reached a settlement in January of 2009 that enabled IBM to keep tabs on Papermater's duties at Apple.
Internal documents that turned up in the legal dispute with IBM revealed that Papermaster was not Apple's ideal choice to lead its iPod and iPhone operations.
Comments
I'm willing to bet he was fired since he was apparently heading the development of the iPhone antenna.
Apple as a company let this product out the door. did they do no testing? they are all to blame for this fiasco. Jobs stamps everything doesn't he? oh right, he claims the successes, somebody else gets the failures....
If Papermaster did such a crappy job, why does my iPhone 4 work flawlessly?
Apple as a company let this product out the door. did they do no testing? they are all to blame for this fiasco. Jobs stamps everything doesn't he? oh right, he claims the successes, somebody else gets the failures....
Hey clueless "screamingfist" - before you make a post that really really makes you look so stupid you should check the facts. First, only a handful of people complained. In fact, the OVERWHELMING majority of iPhone4 users say that they get much better reception and fewer dropped calls. The solution is actually quite simple - don't touch an area that is 1/16th of an inch in the lower left corner of the phone. 1/16th!!!!! How hard is that? This is something that was totally blown out of proportion by the media frenzy. As for Apple doing testing, I suggest you check out Apple's website where they show off their $100 million + testing facility. Now grow up, and go troll somewhere else.
Any speculation where he ends up?
Hewlett-Packard, in the Palm division, probably heading up webOS device hardware engineering.
http://techcrunch.com/2010/08/07/papermaster-out/
Interesting if true...
Ah, the Internets, where facts and speculation blend into a syrupy mix called truthiness
If Papermaster did such a crappy job, why does my iPhone 4 work flawlessly?
Seriously! First reply states it's because of the iPhone 4 antenna, 2nd reply states that Apple is wrong for putting all the blame on Papermaster for "Antennagate".
Personally, I think if an engineer who loses an iPhone 4 doesn't get fired that Papermaster didn't get fired for helping make Apple's best phone, especially after the lengths Apple went to get him. The truth is probably dull so it probably won't ever be considered on Internet forums.
Any speculation where he ends up?
HP has a CEO position open.
edit: Doh! Pipped by cvaldes1831.
Any speculation where he ends up?
Hewlett-Packard, in the Palm division, probably heading up webOS device hardware engineering.
HP has a CEO position open.
edit: Doh! Pipped by cvaldes1831.
I was going to say exactly the same thing
Head of HP Palm Division and Rubinstein will be CEO of HP.
I am led to understand that Apple doesn't really work that way. There could be something in that.
I was going to say exactly the same thing
Head of HP Palm Division and Rubinstein will be CEO of HP.
They say great minds think alike, but in actuality the truly great minds think like no one else.
Seriously though, doesn't this news seem a little coincidental to the timing of HP's "reorganization"?
I don't want to buy my first iPhone if it is indeed flawed and the next version is completely changed, and mine is worth nothing, and does indeed not work as it should.
Or, as some have said, is this STILL overblown and the antenna works as well or better than many of the other top smartphones, and Papermaster's firing has nothing to do with me having a great phone when I get it in a couple of months?
I'd really like to know. I'm so on the fence about this whole iPhone antenna thing. I can't afford to get into a 3 year contract with a flawed phone. Literally, can't afford it. $$$
Seriously! First reply states it's because of the iPhone 4 antenna, 2nd reply states that Apple is wrong for putting all the blame on Papermaster for "Antennagate".
Personally, I think if an engineer who loses an iPhone 4 doesn't get fired that Papermaster didn't get fired for helping make Apple's best phone, especially after the lengths Apple went to get him. The truth is probably dull so it probably won't ever be considered on Internet forum.
This the reality of leadership.. Military and Corporations. Your people and/or department screws up, your responsible, and you get fired more likely even if your not directly responsible.
TSeriously though, doesn't this news seem a little coincidental to the timing of HP's "reorganization"?
I hope this is the only reason for his leaving and that "anntennagate" is only a media frenzy and not a truly flawed phone.
This the reality of leadership.. Military and Corporations. Your people and/or department screws up, your responsible, and you get fired more likely even if your not directly responsible.
My question though is "Did they screw up?" or is this all overblown since other handsets have the same issue?
Inside Apple, he's "the guy responsible for the antenna" - that's a quote from a source back on July 23. (Another quote from the same source:
"Apparently the antenna guys used to have a big chip on their shoulder. No more."
So, is this saying that the iPhone 4 antenna IS flawed? Or is this just a firing due to many reasons, not just this one?
I don't want to buy my first iPhone if it is indeed flawed and the next version is completely changed, and mine is worth nothing, and does indeed not work as it should.
Or, as some have said, is this STILL overblown and the antenna works as well or better than many of the other top smartphones, and Papermaster's firing has nothing to do with me having a great phone when I get it in a couple of months?
I'd really like to know. I'm so on the fence about this whole iPhone antenna thing. I can't afford to get into a 3 year contract with a flawed phone. Literally, can't afford it. $$$
If your carrier has a great network and great coverage in your area, then get one. You won't have a problem no matter how long you death grip the s*** out of it. Ask people in your area who has an iPhone 4 if they have issues. Otherwise wait next year. Personally I do think it's overblown. I don't have the issue and neither does everyone I know who has the iPhone 4. But then again it's a real issue for a few people. Not all... Or you can get one, if your having antenna issues then bring it back.
Well... Someone had to 'take the fall' for these recent fiascos, and we knew it wouldn't be Ole Stevie.
Inside Apple, he's "the guy responsible for the antenna" - that's a quote from a source back on July 23. (Another quote from the same source:
"Apparently the antenna guys used to have a big chip on their shoulder. No more."
Why not? He's been fired before.
They say great minds think alike, but in actuality the truly great minds think like no one else.
Seriously though, doesn't this news seem a little coincidental to the timing of HP's "reorganization"?
I agree. It raised a flag when I read it.