WSJ: Apple's iPod boss stepping down, replacement stuck in legal limbo (Update: now official)

He might not be a household name, but Tony Fadell is the chief of Apple's iPod division (and credited with bringing the iPod idea to Apple) and part of the executive team responsible for the iPhone's development. At least he was. The Wall Street Journal, citing sources "familiar with the matter," reports that Fadell is jumping off the Infinite Loop for personal reasons but will remain at Apple's disposal in a consulting role. Here's the kicker: Mark Papermaster appears to be the named successor assuming IBM's lawyers don't put a stop to Apple's plans. None of this matters of course since it's common knowledge amongst investors that Steve Jobs does everything from inventing the iPhone to replacing printer cartridges around the Apple campus -- his staff is just there for tax purposes.

Update: It's official. Papermaster is in as senior VP of Devices Hardware Engineering reporting to Jobs -- Fadell is out. That means he'll lead the iPod and iPhone hardware engineering teams. IBM be damned.

Read -- WSJ rumor
Read -- Tony Fadell Bio

[Alexei @ Nov 4th 2008 1:49AM]

I would mind working to be somebody's tax purpose.

[lowdef @ Nov 4th 2008 1:50AM]

ibm inspired creativity!!! oh boy...

[phanbouy @ Nov 4th 2008 12:26PM]

avatar = win

[phanbouy @ Nov 4th 2008 3:42PM]

nevermind. not anymore

[lowdef @ Nov 4th 2008 5:36PM]

why? which one? physical graffiti? lol idk why but it keeps changing

[Josh @ Nov 4th 2008 1:53AM]

Papermaster?

Then who's the printkeeper?

[nerdtalker @ Nov 4th 2008 1:59AM]

I wonder if he keeps any LaserWriter Pros hidden somewhere for nostalgia.

[Ken J @ Nov 4th 2008 8:01AM]

Zool?

[Moorio - XBL: peacebyanymeans @ Nov 4th 2008 1:54AM]

SHUT UP

[SteveJr_Ri @ Nov 4th 2008 1:55AM]

...has nothing to do with this....you, sir, iFail

[b @ Nov 4th 2008 1:57AM]

why is the Apple store down right now?, anything new supposed to come out?

[Skor @ Nov 4th 2008 2:10AM]

New Macbook pros.
Oh, and they're free now.

[jeremy @ Nov 4th 2008 2:01AM]

"his staff is just there for tax purposes." LOL. I love engadget.

[Ray @ Nov 4th 2008 2:26AM]

Steve Jobs invented the word invention, and also the letter "i".

[jeremy @ Nov 4th 2008 2:55AM]

I'm seeing a nearly direct correlation between Chuck Norris and Steve Jobs. More power to him.

[Patriks7 @ Nov 4th 2008 3:02AM]

Don't you know? It's Chuck Norris making the unibody laptops.. the video with all the machines was made just for show!

[KarlW @ Nov 4th 2008 4:58AM]

Yea, that's how Apple make their new products slimmer - they get Chuck Norris to squeeze them.

The process also removes arsenic and BFRs. Because the atmosphere can't handle those AND CN.

[helloUser @ Nov 4th 2008 2:05AM]

So thats the Big Brother team?

[wallace @ Nov 4th 2008 2:06AM]

"executive team responsible for the iPhone's"

IPHONE

[Patriks7 @ Nov 4th 2008 2:07AM]

Haha Engadget.. that last sentence is purely awesome!

[Pierce @ Nov 4th 2008 2:21AM]

HAHA agreeeed.

[James @ Nov 4th 2008 3:50AM]

I bet some people really do believe that.

[Moorio - XBL: peacebyanymeans @ Nov 4th 2008 2:09AM]

"SHUT UP"

SHUT UP

[Walker @ Nov 4th 2008 2:22AM]

hahah good article, stupid investors....if they knew what they were doing the stocks should fall because of this....

[why not the LS2LS7? @ Nov 4th 2008 2:24AM]

Interesting.

I don't see how a chip guy is going to do this job though.

[Luke D @ Nov 4th 2008 2:26AM]

Hmm... that looks like a promo shot of a pilot for a new TV series.

The IT Crowd U.S.?

[kahrytan @ Nov 4th 2008 12:12PM]

Dude, dont give Apple any ideas. Apple err Steve Jobs would probably want to dominate tv media too and control what we watch.

[Ray Von Sixx @ Nov 4th 2008 3:04AM]

The Office: We'll Make More In A Month Than You Make In A Lifetime

[mousekopf @ Nov 4th 2008 2:28AM]

I am the Papermaster. Are you the Gatekeeper?

[helloUser @ Nov 4th 2008 2:37AM]

Who brought the dog??

[bolezhinkov @ Nov 4th 2008 2:44AM]

I love that patent just as much as engadget I think.

[Atropos @ Nov 4th 2008 2:49AM]

lol

Awesome.

[illegalprelude @ Nov 4th 2008 3:16AM]

oohhh...Awesome out of no where low blow from Engadget! Their like the Fox News of Gadgets. I really hate random zingers sites throw in.

[tekdroid @ Nov 4th 2008 3:24AM]

rumour has it his internal lithium ion battery has reached its useful life of 300-500 charge cycles and he must go in for an operation to get a new one. He'll be back as soon as the operation is complete. A 3-day stay at the hospital is expected.
http://www.apple.com/batteries/replacements.html
http://www.apple.com/support/ipod/service/battery/
http://www.apple.com/support/ipod/service/prices/

[avis @ Nov 4th 2008 3:52AM]

This could be the reason "Apple May Cut IPhone 3G Production by 40 Percent" http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/153246/apple_may_cut_iphone_3g_production_by_40_percent.html

[iEye @ Nov 4th 2008 6:57AM]

There is nothing wrong with the iPhone, the problem is with the carriers and overpriced plans...

If Apple was to sell the iPhone unlocked stand-alone the demand would sky-rocket.

Don't blame the fruit, blame the fruit store!

[Luke D @ Nov 4th 2008 11:31AM]

iEye, I'll have to disagree with you a little bit.

In Australia there's one carrier that practically begged and grovelled publicly before Apple to let them sell the iPhone but to no avail. And this carrier has some of the most competitive plans. So Apple is quite choosy in who they allow to sell iPhones despite the competitive plans.

And unlocked iPhones are available for sale on the internet. But the prices are very exorbitant and I'm sure Apple plays a part in this.

[eremeya @ Nov 4th 2008 11:06PM]

http://store.apple.com/hk/browse/home/shop_iphone/family/iphone?mco=MTE2NTQ

Read the fine print under the price :)

[SITEiNK @ Nov 4th 2008 4:05AM]

really they should get cracking on some improovements to the rest of the product lineup.
suppose they put cable card, HD tuner and other inputs into the Apple TV - they'd really have a winner on their hands.
it'd make TV life really great for me.


-----------------
http://ROCKandREVIEW.com/

[Bobby @ Nov 4th 2008 5:11AM]

Just look at these dudes. None of them using their high tech "productivity" tools LOL
Only plain. old fashioned, cold war era pen, paper, and 4 ! rulers LOL

[Rusty @ Nov 4th 2008 5:19AM]

"his staff is just there for tax purposes"

his staff are just there for tax purposes

(or his staff .. is used to beat the taxman)

[sjdurfey @ Nov 4th 2008 10:34AM]

now, i'm not a grammer monster, but wouldnt "is" still work there because "the staff" is referring to the entire staff as a whole, and therefore just one thing? correct me if i am wrong.

[Vidikron @ Nov 4th 2008 10:45AM]

@sjdurfey

That's always been my thinking as well, but it's apparently not grammatically correct. I guess it's the same as saying "are" when referring to a single company (e.g. Apple are...). IMO, the grammar rules in these cases are stupid. People are made up of billions of cells, but we don't go around referring to individuals in the the plural. I don't see how organizations are different, but whatever. Some panel somewhere decided the rules for us.

[o29 @ Nov 4th 2008 12:37PM]

Nope, it's a collective noun (look it up if you aren't familiar with them) and thus is considered singular. Would you say, "The group are just there for tax purposes"? No, and the same applies here. If you're referring to the staff members more individually, you could consider it plural, but here it's referring to them as a whole and is therefore collective.

/trivial argument

[Freakin Ijit @ Nov 4th 2008 6:17AM]

>>> ...Tony Fadell is the chief of Apple's iPod division (and credited with bringing the iPod idea to Apple...

I though Jon Rubenstein (sp?) was touted as the guy who had the iPod idea?

[Jarly @ Nov 4th 2008 6:25AM]

Amazingly, Steve Jobs doesn't look like the biggest douche in that picture.

[Luke D @ Nov 4th 2008 11:21AM]

Gosh, you're right.

Ive has his arms crossed, Rubenstein has his hands in his pockets and Fadell has an arm over the back of a chair and all three with "don't waste my time" facial expressions.

[Major4Play @ Nov 4th 2008 8:57AM]

Actually he'd save tax payments if Steve did it all himself.
The nice thing about the assumption that SJ does everything is when SJ gets buried Apple will be going in the coffin with him Egyptian Stylee !

[phanbouy @ Nov 4th 2008 12:27PM]

Egyptian Stylee coffins. mmhmm

[Curnsie @ Nov 4th 2008 9:24AM]

This is the annual staff photo. Apple only employs five people. Thats why one had to go to make way for the new guy.