Apple is stepping up its video game by hiring one of the key employees from YouTube that helped the service become the world’s biggest video streaming platform.
Vijay Karunamurthy, who worked at YouTube in its early years and then went on to co-found the food rating app Nom, has reportedly joined Apple, though the company is staying tight-lipped on what he’s working on.
Karanumurthy joined Apple in April, according to a report from Bloomberg. That’s the same month that Karanamurthy’s app Nom was removed from the App Store, but Apple apparently didn’t acquire the app and all its employees.
Nom was co-founded by Karanumurthy and Steve Chen who is also another early YouTube alum. Chen’s LinkedIn profile says he left Nom in April as well, though his current employment isn’t listen.
Apple has hired Karanumurthy as a director of engineering, according to his LinkedIn profile. His expertise at creating social features and live streaming video clients should be particularly useful as Apple expands its presence in video with its own original programming and its new TV app on Apple TV and iOS. He’ll join fellow YouTube alum, Shiva Rajaraman who Apple hired earlier this year as well.
