Papermaster's Departure Linked to 'Cultural Incompatibility' Rather Than Antenna Issues
The Wall Street Journal provides some additional color on the departure of Apple's iPhone hardware engineering chief Mark Papermaster, citing "broader cultural incompatibility" rather than a direct link to the iPhone 4's antenna issues as reason for his exit.
Exactly how much the problems with the iPhone 4 played in Mr. Papermaster's exit is unclear. The iPhone 4, a key device for Apple, has been beset by issues such as antenna reception and delayed production of a white version of the gadget. Several people familiar with Mr. Papermaster's situation said his departure was driven by a broader cultural incompatibility.
Mr. Papermaster had lost the confidence of Mr. Jobs months ago and hasn't been part of the decision-making process for some time, these people said. They added that Mr. Papermaster didn't appear to have the type of creative thinking expected at Apple and wasn't used to Apple's corporate culture, where even senior executives are expected 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.
One of these people also said Mr. Papermaster had difficulty maneuvering Apple's internal politics.
The report notes that it was Jobs who pressed forward with the iPhone 4's antenna design despite questions about its performance, suggesting that perhaps Papermaster does not bear as much blame as many have thought. In addition, Apple has claimed that the antenna design was in testing for two years prior to the launch of the iPhone 4, meaning that it had been designed and subjected to significant testing even before Papermaster officially joined the company in April 2009.
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They had the Mac-hardware guy talking about the iPhone instead of Papermaster. That was before the iPhone 4 shipped and all the Antenna stuff surfaced. That's all the proof I need...the guy was apparently in trouble even before all this antenna stuff.
This is & conclude this ordeal with Apple. People with cancer will get mean. Simple as that & sad. But now he's cured hmm wonder how that happen maybe with luck or $ for the cure they keep bottled up in LABS. It's his decision to change his antics and treat his people nicer.
What are you talking about??
Business is business. So someone was fired/let go/politely asked to "volunteer" to leave, etc. Whatever. And an IBM guy at that. Big friggin deal. On to other news . . .
The report notes that it was Jobs who pressed forward with the iPhone 4's antenna design despite questions about its performance, suggesting that perhaps Papermaster does not bear as much blame as many have thought. In addition, Apple has claimed that the antenna design was in testing for two ears prior to the launch of the iPhone 4, meaning that it had been designed and subjected to significant testing even before Papermaster officially joined the company in April 2009.
Jobs tested this design for 2 years and still it has these issues? and why would he rush to release it if there was a problem? :confused:
They had the Mac-hardware guy talking about the iPhone instead of Papermaster. That was before the iPhone 4 shipped and all the Antenna stuff surfaced. That's all the proof I need...the guy was apparently in trouble even before all this antenna stuff.
As reported here, quoted from other sources, all this antenna stuff probably started long before you and I heard about it. Let's hope Apple knows enough about their own company, and with their state-of-the-art testing facility, that they knew of the problems with it. The whole reason for designing a "bumper" that doesn't protect the phone, but helped the antenna problems, the discussion that perhaps they should ship the phone with it, etc.
"The iPhone 4, a key device for Apple, has been beset by issues such as antenna reception and delayed production of a white version of the gadget. Several people familiar with Mr. Papermaster's situation said his departure was driven by a broader cultural incompatibility."
In terms of PR, this is to be expected. Apple people are not about to say that Papermaster was fired because of the 4. That's the last thing they want to put out. But with all the problems (beyond just the antenna), they had to boot him.
Jobs tested this design for 2 years and still it has these issues? and why would he rush to release it if there was a problem? :confused:
One theory is the lost prototype in the bar that went on Gizmodo. Another is to beat out competitive smartphones being released.
As reported here, quoted from other sources, all this antenna stuff probably started long before you and I heard about it.
No, the "stuff" I'm talking about is when people started complaining about it and Consumer Reports said they wouldn't recommend the phone.
Apple knew about the flaw a year ago, yes, but they honestly didn't think it was going to be as big a problem as it was. Antenna work is all compromises and trade-offs. They knew the flaws but they thought the gains made up for them.
It was a 2-steps-forward, 1-step-back in their mind. They thought people would notice but say "oh well, but it's better overall so it doesn't matter."
What they DIDN'T know was that people wouldn't care about the steps forward. Apple didn't guess that the advances were things people wouldn't really notice or care about. I really do think that part surprised them.
Thus, I stand by my "this stuff happened after it shipped" comments. Just because they knew of the flaw it doesn't mean they knew it would be the big problem it turned out to be.
Jobs tested this design for 2 years and still it has these issues? and why would he rush to release it if there was a problem? :confused:
And all that answers this, too. They knew about the flaw...they didn't know it would become a big problem. Those are two different things.
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