Papermaster to join Apple on April 24th

It looks like the Mark Papermaster/IBM hiring saga is over.  Apple today released the news in a Press Release entitled "Mark Papermaster to Begin at Apple as Senior Vice President of Devices Hardware Engineering on April 24".  According to Apple, the litigation between IBM and Mark Papermaster has been resolved. In other words, some cash changed hands.  We hope he was worth it.

Papermaster will inherit outgoing iPod chief Tony Fadell's turf along with other devices that spring from the iPhone and iPod touch platforms.   This is probably one of the most, if not the most exciting areas of product development for Apple right now.  The competing Netbook platforms on PC are the only growth area and Apple is widely expected to come up with an answer - although Apple's will of course have to be a twist on the idea that you never thought of.

Papermaster's mug still isn't gracing the Executive Bios Page yet at Apple but you can bet it will shortly.