Apple iPhone engineering head exits after antenna flap: DJ Newswires

Mark Papermaster, Apple’s senior vice president for iPhone engineering, is leaving the company, signaling a change in leadership after criticism erupted over the iPhone 4’s unique antenna.

Papermaster’s duties will be shouldered by Bob Mansfield, the company’s senior vice president of computer engineering, Apple spokesman Steve Dowling said.

He added that Mansfield already manages some aspects of Apple’s mobile device technologies, such as the touch screen and A4 processing chip.

Apple would not say under which conditions Papermaster left.

The move comes after a series of uncharacteristic missteps for the popular consumer electronics maker.

Earlier this year, photos of the iPhone’s new design were published on a popular technology blog after an engineer allegedly left a test unit in a bar.

Then, after the phone’s release, the device was dogged by complaints of reception issues related to its unique new antenna design.

Apple eventually was forced to respond with a press conference hosted by CEO Steve Jobs, at which the company said it would supply free bumpers to iPhone 4 purchasers.

Papermaster’s departure was reported earlier by the New York Times.

Papermaster joined Apple in April 2009 after the company reached an agreement with International Business Machines (IBM).

IBM was arguing that Papermaster, who had managed Big Blue’s PowerPC chip business, shouldn’t be allowed to join Apple because he had signed a noncompete agreement.

The dispute took several months to resolve. As part of the settlement, Papermaster was required to certify at a couple of prearranged times last year that he had complied with his legal obligations not to disclose IBM’s confidential information.