Apple recently lured a top engineer away from Netflix as it works to build out a top-notch technical team to support Apple TV+ and other services.
The Wall Street Journal reports new hire Ruslan Meshenberg had helped Netflix build a technical team to build and support the platform, participating in key initiatives that created a more consistent experience and service for the streaming service’s viewers. Meshenberg ran the infrastructure that delivered Netflix’s shows and movies to viewers.
Ruslan Meshenberg, who helped build out Netflix’s platform and was involved in key initiatives to create a speedier, more consistent service for viewers, joined Apple’s internet-services organization this week, according to people familiar with the hire and his social-media accounts. He joins Apple at the same time it is expanding its $4.99-a-month TV+ service with other new hires, additional shows and movies—a complex undertaking that has tripped up other entrants into the video-streaming business.
Meshenberg joined Apple’s internet-services organization this week, and his LinkedIn profile has been updated to reflect his new position as an Engineering Leader.
The Wall Street Journal reports Meshenberg is joining Apple at a time when Apple is shifting its approach to cloud services, relying more often on third-party providers to save money.
During fiscal Q1 2020, Apple’s Services generated almost $13 billion in revenue. While Apple TV+ is free for most of its viewers for the first year (thanks to a free year of service with the purchase of an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV), next year the streaming service could start generating a goodly amount of revenue.