iPod inventor Fadell bids goodbye to Apple

Tony Fadell, the man who invented the hugely popular iPod and iTunes for Apple Inc, has stepped down after eight years.

Apple said it had appointed Mark Papermaster, an IBM chip expert, to replace him as head of hardware engineering for its iPod and iPhone devices division.

Fadell has now chosen to spend more time with his family. Apple has announced that the iPod division vice president Tony Fadell and his wife, Danielle Lambert, who is vice president of the company's human resources department, are leaving to spend more with their family.

Fadell, will however remain as an adviser to CEO Steve Jobs.

Fadell had been a senior consumer electronics executive at Philips before he came up with the idea for linking a digital player and an online store to create a simpler way to access and play music. His idea was eventually backed by Apple, where he went on to become a senior vice-president and one of the company's top executives.