Andre Yoskowitz
8 Aug 2010 0:56
Apple's senior VP of engineering Mark Papermaster is leaving the company, says The NYTimes, following the recent "antennagate" debacle of the iPhone 4.
Apple spokesman Steve Dowling confirmed the report, and added that his position will be taken over by Bob Mansfield, VP of Macintosh engineering.
Papermaster was formally IBM's vice president of microprocessor technology development, working primarily in processor design.
"Antennagate" refers to the ongoing situation in which iPhone 4 users lose cell reception when holding the phone in their left hand, covering the antenna.
Apple has repaired the situation by offering all iPhone 4 owners free cases for their devices, eliminating the problem.
While many believe that Papermaster's departure is directly correlated to "antennagate," Gleacher & Company analyst Brian Marshall thinks differently (via CW): "I don't think that's the case. When you have a company the size of Apple, you're going to have turnover at low levels and high levels. I don't see this as that big of a deal."