Some of tech's biggest and and normally safest players, including Microsoft, IBM, Intel, Sony, and Google, are trimming their workforces in a bid to lower costs and stave off a harsh economy.
The tug of war over the future of Mark Papermaster, an executive hired away from his post at IBM to head up Apple's handheld efforts, got a bit nastier on Thursday when the microprocessor expert countered a lawsuit from his former employer with one of his own.
A series of statements made in court filings by tentative iPod & iPhone chief Mark Papermaster and those who recruited him at Apple show that the company at first considered him a secondary pick. They also reveal that IBM's own management has partly contradicted its stance on whether the executive could leave.
Apple has taken down its bio for Mark Papermaster, the senior vice president of "Devices Hardware Engineering" that the company hired from IBM, signaling new uncertainty surrounding the position.
Apple's plans for its new recruit from IBM, Mark Papermaster, have been dealt an at least temporary setback as a federal judge has ordered him to halt any work at his new employer.
Apple's contentious decision to hire a former IBM executive has been explained by the iPhone and iPod maker 鈥� and the new recruit himself 鈥� as a carefully thought-out decision that doesn't run afoul of earlier agreements.
Apple recently recruited a top chip designer from IBM, resulting in a lawsuit that seeks to prevent the executive from taking his knowledge as "IBM's top expert in Power architecture and technology" to the Mac maker.
IBM has unveiled a sneak peek of its new Lotus iNotes, a web app client for its Lotus Domino messaging server to bring email, calendar, and contacts to iPhone. The move fulfills rumors of customized iPhone support for Lotus Notes and demonstrates IBM's evolving interest in Apple within the enterprise.
Long-time Microsoft Windows supporter IBM has recently initiated an internal pilot program to study the possibility of moving a significant number of its employees to Apple's Mac platform, leaked company documents show.
A new form of digital storage technology under development at IBM could deliver more than tenfold increases in both the storage capacity and battery life of handheld gadgets like Apple's iPod and iPhone, according to the company's claims.
Apple's SDK roadmap announcements were expected to primarily introduce the company's plans for releasing development tools for casual developers, but chief executive Steve Jobs started the event by introducing broad initiatives to greatly improve the iPhone's features to satiate the demands of Enterprise users.
Following months of beta testing, Apple Inc. next week will address one of the key weakness of its iPhone handset by introducing improved support for enterprise level e-mail platforms from Microsoft and IBM, according to one Wall Street analyst.
Microsoft rivals Apple Inc. and IBM Corp. will soon announce a partnership that will deliver a handful of IBM's Lotus software packages for Apple's handheld and Mac products, the Associated Press is reporting.
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Aidan Malley and Zach Spear
Katie Marsal
Prince McLean
Slash Lane
