Apple Poaches Veteran Netflix Cloud Computing Engineer Meshenberg

(Image credit: Twitter)

Apple has hired away a high-ranking engineer from Netflix to help it build out its new streaming service, Apple TV+.

Ruslan Meshenberg, a nine-year Netflix veteran who was crucial in the service’s migration to an Amazon Web Services cloud architecture, tweeted a picture of Apple headquarters at 1 Infinite Loop in Cupertino, Calif. Monday, writing simply, “New adventure.”

On his LinkedIn profile, he describes his role at Apple briefly as well, listing himself only as “engineering lead.” 

Meshenberg’s move was first reported by The Wall Street Journal, which noted that Apple is similarly shifting much of the infrastructure for its internet-based services to the cloud. 

Related: Is It Already Too Late for Apple TV+?

Apple TV+ (aka Apple TV Plus) launched on November 1. During Apple’s fourth-quarter earnings call Tuesday, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the 4.99-a-month Apple TV+ service, which is given away for free for one year to purchasers of new Apple devices, is “off to a rousing start.”

It’s unclear as to how rousing, however.

A HarrisX study published last week reported that only about 5% of U.S. streaming homes sampled Apple TV+ in the latter six weeks in fourth quarter 2019 it was available.

However, Parrot Analytics reported Tuesday that six of the top 10 streaming debuts in Q4 came from Apple TV+. 

Daniel Frankel

Daniel Frankel is the managing editor of Next TV, an internet publishing vertical focused on the business of video streaming. A Los Angeles-based writer and editor who has covered the media and technology industries for more than two decades, Daniel has worked on staff for publications including E! Online, Electronic Media, Mediaweek, Variety, paidContent and GigaOm. You can start living a healthier life with greater wealth and prosperity by following Daniel on Twitter today!