Apple Hardware Designer Fired for iPhone Flaws?
Mark Papermaster's move from IBM to Apple attracted a lot of attention, and it looks like his departure is going to be talked about just as much.
Former vice president of microprocessor technology development at IBM, Mark Papermaster joined Apple as senior vice president of Devices Hardware Engineering in October 2008. Papermaster officially started work in April 2009 (due to a lot of legal complications at the hands of IBM) and a little more than a year later, he's leaving the company. For someone who fought so hard to work at Apple in the first place, it's surprising that Papermaster has decided to up leave the company, and so soon. So why is he leaving?
Well, according to John Gruber, Papermaster didn't leave of his own accord. Gruber believes Papermaster was sacked, and at least one of the reasons he was fired was because he failed to catch the antenna problem present in the iPhone 4 (he also tentatively speculates that Papermaster may or may not have had something to with the delay of the white iPhone).
However, the Wall Street Journal is of a different opinion. The paper cites several sources that say Papermaster's departure was because he didn't quite gel with the Apple crowd. These people (who just so happen to be familiar with the matter) say Mr. Papermaster's departure was driven by "a broader cultural incompatibility," and that Steve Jobs lost confidence in the former-IBMer months ago. WSJ's source said that Papermaster hadn't been part of the decision-making process for ages, and that he didn't appear to have the kind creative thinking expected of employees. Papermaster was also said to be unfamiliar with Apple's corporate culture, which requires even senior executives to "keep on top of the smallest details of their areas of responsibility and often have to handle many tasks directly, as opposed to delegating them."
As you can imagine, Apple is keeping quiet on this one, so we're free to let our imaginations run wild. Why do you think Mark Papermaster left Apple? Let us know in the comments below!
Read more on Daring Fireball and the Wall Street Journal.
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I remember when the article about Papermaster going to Apple was first posted. What an awesome last name.
Probably got sacked cause he bought a droid.
does this make the iPhone working correctly?
if yes... Apple has strange bugs!!!
lol
Hmmm... where have we heard this before? Apple is like that group of kids that builds a treehouse and kicks out all the girls. Except this time they're going beyond virginity and even kicking out other nerdy guys.
he probably had an affair with the hp ceo who just got fired.
oh wait that was a woman
lol
probably cause he was holding the phone wrong
Apple needs a scapegoat after the Iphone 4 debarcle. first the one of his dumbass employees left one in a bar, then it shows up on gizmodo, which forced them to launch it early. because all the competitors knew what was comming and were looking to leapfrog apple. because they launched it half baked, they had the antenna issues, followed by the delay of the all so coveted white iphone. (on a side note, WTF... it an I phone and its white... so what). some one has to pay the piper to keep the all powerful wizrad of Jobs happy. so dude got sacked. if i was him I would go work for Intel, Dell, Lenovo, HP or any of the other major players in PC industry. with his credentials he could get a job at any of these companies. California already rulled the non-compete contract are not binding, which allowed him to start work at apple in the first place. If I remember right he had a 2 year non compete with IBM. with his knowlege of apples upcomming product line i am sure he will not be unemployeed long.
He's leaving in a casket. When informed about the Iphone 4's reception problems, Lord Steve Force choked Papermaster out of Sith Lord rage.
Apple needs a scapegoat after the Iphone 4 debarcle.
I coudn't agree more, they had to finger point at someone. Those classless BASTARDS............
oh well, good thing he left before steve ruins apple
No, he got fired for not releasing enough educational information on how to hold it right.
In other news...
Firing people for making wrong, crucial, decisions is becoming a trend in business practice. Some say this could become a major profit maker in short term.
Cheers!
The Color of the phone doesn't really matter since you have to put a case on it for proper reception anyway.
I remember when the article about Papermaster going to Apple was first posted. What an awesome last name.
With that last name he should go work for Xerox!
Apple is like that group of kids that builds a treehouse and kicks out all the girls.
Think the people that work for apple still do that, would explain a lot...
Soooo. He's the only senior executive working on the iPhone? Someone is full of it.
Definitely a scapegoat.
I guess they wanted to make an extra buck more after the Foxconn scandal (murder).
probably cause he was holding the phone wrong
I swear, every time I hear that now, it makes me think of the phrase, "But can it play Crysis?". Let's stop riding that 'joke' now, shall we?
Um why not fire the entire Apple QA department for not catching this? Singling out one person is typical Apple...just like blaming the customer for the iPhone issues. The design flaw should've been caught by the QA department LONG before it ever went into production.
Hmmm... where have we heard this before? Apple is like that group of kids that builds a treehouse and kicks out all the girls. Except this time they're going beyond virginity and even kicking out other nerdy guys.
And by "virginity" you mean "sex." Learn English, please.
How come? People were just holding the phone wrong...
That semi psykopat Steve just had outrage at the office and kicked the one standing nearest to him.
Anyone seen the movie "Pirates of the Silicon Valley"? It's real good and really show how weired personality Steve really has. The movie can be found at a popular torrent site near you.
What? Jobs was not micromanaging Papermaster? I seriously doubt that. I also seriously doubt that Papermaster is "lacking in creativity" !! lol! This guy was at IBM for decades and Apple let him slip out of their hands in barely a year. To me, this is another black mark for Jobs. Losing this proven executive is a failure on the part of Jobs. And oh BTW, leadership 101 says = if someone under your leadership messes up..it's your fault - that's you Steve.
but there isn't an antenna issue...
cultural incompatibility....
delay of white iPhone.....
'but Lord Jobs the iPhone4 is not fully operational, we need to delay the white iPhone so we can perform more test regarding the antenna issue'
that should about cover all the bases.......
I wouldn't be surprised if he was indeed fired for the antenna. Someone had to take the fall for this whole antennagate. Easiest to fire a new employee.
Becuase the rats are the first ones to jump off a sinking boat...
IBMers have a fine nose that detects the smell of shit heading to the fan. Once an IBMer... always an IBMer
He was fired because he was caught holding the iPhone wrong.
They can't fire him for antenna problems when even steve jobbs say it isn't a problem in the first place.
It's not fair to punish someone for a problem that you claim don't exist.
For all we know, the IBM guy could've suggested changing the antenna, and steve might've replied "no, it's fine this way. We just need to learn how to hold it"
I find it hilarious that they say it a confict of corporate culture.
IBM sets the de-facto standard for corporate culture, Apple has a lot to learn and maybe they should have been taking a leaf from the IBM book and grow up a bit.
eating the apple.
Dark Sith Lord Steve Jobs got pissed when Rebel Mark Papermaster told him humans will attenuate the antenna. The Rebel had only one bionic hand thus know the effect of the human hand on the iPhone 4. The Dark Lord forgot that he was fitted with 2 bionic hands when he tested the iPhone 4.