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Apple fires head of iPhone division
- Thread starter skidbubble
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thrown under the bus. I don't think John Ive is going to get sacked for the design part of the antenna. So someone had to take the fall.
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Not surprising in the least.
Not surprising in the least.
That's right, he probably just wanted to spend more quality time with his family and left.
Read between the lines. At the level it is bad business in lieu of antennagate. Whether antennagate is real or not is not relevant. Public perception is. If it was said he was outright fired, imagine the speculation.
This is exactly what major companies tell employees when they ask management to leave.
The best part, it's a "non-issue". Guess there really could be something to antennagate.
Edit: I had major problems with my first iphone 4. I had it swapped this week and notice the replacement unit seems to have a stronger radio. So there is defiantly a problem but it might not be 100% the antenna.
I think this whole story is blown out of proportion by the media.
It probably never happened and in reality Papermaster is still with Apple.
Stupid media.
It probably never happened and in reality Papermaster is still with Apple.
Stupid media.
But in this case imagination has manifested itself in the media. Therefore the perception that there is a problem is real.
Engadget just updated their original article and added this:
Update: The ever-resourceful John Gruber says that Papermaster's departure may be more closely related to Apple's antenna troubles than we originally thought:
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.")
Full Engadget Article
http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/07/mark-papermaster-leaves-apple-for-reasons-and-destinations-unkno/
Update: The ever-resourceful John Gruber says that Papermaster's departure may be more closely related to Apple's antenna troubles than we originally thought:
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.")
Full Engadget Article
http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/07/mark-papermaster-leaves-apple-for-reasons-and-destinations-unkno/
I think my iPhone has the same problem so I'll probably get it replaced when the craziness dies down. My 3GS gets more reception in the same location and they're both on iOS 4.0.1. My iP4 constantly gets one bar and looses signal without even touching the antenna. I take the phone out of my pocket and it has 1 bar. Heck, the phone is on my bed and I find out later that apparently someone had called me but I have no missed calls.
I hate having to swap out my Apple products. I've never kept any of my original Apple products. They've all had to be replaced save for my iPod touch 2G. My Macbook Pro, iPod touch 1G, iPhone 3GS have all been replaced multiple times, and not for some stupid problem either. It was a problem that affected prevented the devices from being used as they are intended. I'm even more reluctant to exchange my iP4 since I actually waited 3 hours in line for it (the only thing I've ever lined up for to buy)!!!
/rant
If there was "no problem" with iPhone 4, why did Steve fire Mark Papermaster?
Interesting article from PC Magazine re: possible reasons that Mark Papermaster was let go.
See, Apple has publicly denied that there is ANY problem with the antenna or iPhone 4, so it seems unlikely that they would fire him for this reason. Even if there IS a problem, they can't fire him due to antenna issues as it suggests chaos internally, and sends a mixed message that there really is something wrong.
Is there an impending announcement re: other hardware issues with the iPhone 4 as this article suggests there may be?
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscent...e_exec_depart_over_antennagate.html?tk=hp_new
"In fact, based on Apple's stance that there is no antenna issue, Papermaster's abrupt departure actually makes them look bad--like there is more turmoil going on inside Apple than they are willing to admit. Perhaps, if Papermaster is falling on the proverbial sword and taking one for the team, it's related to some other issue.
Apple's position on "antennagate" is too entrenched for it to backpedal and take responsibility now. However, many cite the proximity sensor issue as a much bigger deal impacting the usability of the iPhone 4 as a--well, as a phone.
If there is some sort of impending announcement from Apple about the proximity sensor, or some other hardware design aspect of the iPhone 4, then it makes sense for Papermaster to be the fall guy."
Interesting article from PC Magazine re: possible reasons that Mark Papermaster was let go.
See, Apple has publicly denied that there is ANY problem with the antenna or iPhone 4, so it seems unlikely that they would fire him for this reason. Even if there IS a problem, they can't fire him due to antenna issues as it suggests chaos internally, and sends a mixed message that there really is something wrong.
Is there an impending announcement re: other hardware issues with the iPhone 4 as this article suggests there may be?
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscent...e_exec_depart_over_antennagate.html?tk=hp_new
"In fact, based on Apple's stance that there is no antenna issue, Papermaster's abrupt departure actually makes them look bad--like there is more turmoil going on inside Apple than they are willing to admit. Perhaps, if Papermaster is falling on the proverbial sword and taking one for the team, it's related to some other issue.
Apple's position on "antennagate" is too entrenched for it to backpedal and take responsibility now. However, many cite the proximity sensor issue as a much bigger deal impacting the usability of the iPhone 4 as a--well, as a phone.
If there is some sort of impending announcement from Apple about the proximity sensor, or some other hardware design aspect of the iPhone 4, then it makes sense for Papermaster to be the fall guy."
People get fired for lots of reasons.
Most of which are never visibile or known to the outside world/public/customers.
Given the number of executives and employees Apple has and the average term of employment, such actions likely happen on a not irregular basis.
To read anything into it, would be jumping to massive conclusions with zero information.
For all we know he misappropriated his Expense Account.
I am sure PC World Magazine (sic) would love if we speculated every time they fired someone for any reason. Perhaps they could publish details on all the reasons they have fired people in the last few years. Could we trace a columnist who was let go back to his last column and blame that single column for his departure? What about an Editor? Did he go because of that non-existant comma? Let us know!
I think it is really poor journalism to participate in such rampant speculation with no facts or foundation on why someone might have been let go. It is not fair to the company and it is not fair to the employee. You could as easily insinuate he was let go for molesting children.
Most of which are never visibile or known to the outside world/public/customers.
Given the number of executives and employees Apple has and the average term of employment, such actions likely happen on a not irregular basis.
To read anything into it, would be jumping to massive conclusions with zero information.
For all we know he misappropriated his Expense Account.
I am sure PC World Magazine (sic) would love if we speculated every time they fired someone for any reason. Perhaps they could publish details on all the reasons they have fired people in the last few years. Could we trace a columnist who was let go back to his last column and blame that single column for his departure? What about an Editor? Did he go because of that non-existant comma? Let us know!
I think it is really poor journalism to participate in such rampant speculation with no facts or foundation on why someone might have been let go. It is not fair to the company and it is not fair to the employee. You could as easily insinuate he was let go for molesting children.
Papermaster worked 26 years for IBM, lived in Texas I believe. Maybe was home-sick? Went thru a lot of ***** to get to Apple as IBM took him to court to protect their patents.
May be unrelated to 'antennagate' but no smoke without fire!
May be unrelated to 'antennagate' but no smoke without fire!
I guess Steve Jobs had to have a scapegoat for his own blunder which is iPhone 4. I'm sure SJ was the last word and iPhone 4 was produced with his blessing. It's a shame someone had to suffer for SJ's lack of common sense and poor judgment.
