Apple announced earlier this month that as senior vice president of Devices Hardware Engineering. However, and launched a lawsuit to block it from happening.

At the core of its case IBM says Papermaster has knowledge of "significant and highly confidential IBM trade secrets" that would "irreparably harm" the company if he is allowed to work for Apple. Papermaster also signed a noncompetition agreement in 2006 pledging not to work for competitors for one year after the conclusion of his employment with IBM.

Ultimately, . Judge Kenneth Karas told Papermaster to "immediately cease his employment with Apple until further order of this court."

Papermaster contends that IBM's noncompetition agreement precludes him from working for any Business Enterprise or any major competitor of IBM. The lawsuit argues that since IBM business enterprise services and Apple's business is the design, manufacturing and marketing of consumer electronic products, the two are not major competitors.

Providing further evidence of the noncompetitive nature of the companies, Papermaster further explains that at IBM he was the vice president of Blade Development, while in his role at Apple he would be in charge of product development for the iPod and the iPhone.