There’s no doubt that the iPhone 4 launch was one of Apple’s sloppiest hardware launches to date. The antenna issue was definitely the worst PR we’ve seen from Cupertino and yet, somehow, the iPhone continues to blow through millions of models. After all that, Apple’s finally made an inside move, a sort of quiet omission of guilt despite its protestations over the last several months.

Mark Papermaster, the exec at the helm of iPhone hardware, has left Apple. There’s no word on whether he was given the boot or left of his own accord. His departure is a bit coincidental for me to believe that, whoever initiated his departure, it wasn’t all related to the antenna issue. When consumers are making joke band-aids and “End Call” stickers to fix your missteps, you can bet someone’s head will roll.

As you might imagine, Papermaster declined to comment.