HP loses key webOS architect Hernacki
updated 09:45 pm EST, Mon January 30, 2012
HP sees Brian Hernacki continue webOS exodus
A quick leak Monday has uncovered that webOS chief architect Brian Hernacki has left HP. Details were short from The Verge's source, but the webOS team member had come in during 2009. There weren't indications as to where he was going next.
The exit follows open-sourcing webOS and could have multiple reasons. HP may have planned for a staff transition now that the community could use and build on webOS itself. Alternately, he may may have been dissatisfied with the unclear direction of the company and may have chosen to leave.
HP hasn't independently confirmed the switch. If real, it was happening recently enough that Hernacki hadn't updated his LinkedIn profile (above) to show the change.
No matter the reason, Hernacki's exit follows a wide range of defections in recent history. former Palm CEO Jon Rubinstein is the highest profile of the group, but he was preceded by Richard Kerris, Chuq von Rospach, and others. Exits began almost immediately after HP acquired Palm, when Matias Duarte left for Google and was key to designing the looks of Android 3.0 and 4.0.
