If You're On HP's WebOS Team, Apple Might Buy Your Way Out Of Limbo
January 23, 2012
As WebOS continues its slow decline into the lonely depths of dead tech, it comes as no surprise that some former Palm/HP team members are abandoning ship for brighter shores. And, since new HP CEO Meg Whitman hasn't ruled out more layoffs for the 600-man WebOS team, it makes all the more sense for said salesmen and engineers to take their talents elsewhere.
CRN's Kevin McLaughlin discusses Apple's most recent such hires:
One example is Venkat Vasireddi, former Senior Software Engineer/Technical Lead for WebOS products, who joined Apple earlier this month as a Senior Software Engineer, according to his LinkedIn profile. ... Matt Schnell, former WebOS National Sales Manager in HP's Solution Partners Organization (SPO), joined Apple in November as Director, iPhone Business-to-Business Sales. ... Jim Dudenhoefer, former National Sales Manager for HP's enterprise focused WebOS Sales Specialists Team, joined Apple earlier this month as Regional Sales Director for the company's iPhone channel, according to his LinkedIn profile.Aside from these various hires' experience working in the mobile industry, there's an added benefit for Apple in going after WebOS veterans. In his report on Macgasm, Grant Brunner reminds us that
the lessons learned from the rise and fall of WebOS could be very useful for Apple. Because WebOS has heavy use of Apple’s own WebKit throughout the entire operating system, Apple obviously has places for ex-WebOS team members. Using their experience and knowledge to tighten up web app integration on iOS or even OS X could mean really interesting things for the future of app development.I should've never bought that HP TouchPad... [Image: engadget.com]
