Inventor of webOS Banner Notification System Returns to Apple - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Inventor of webOS Banner Notification System Returns to Apple

095640 rich dellinger

PreCentral.net notes that Rich Dellinger, a former user interface designer at Apple who left in 2006 to join Palm and subsequently developed the banner notification system used in webOS, has returned to Apple. In addition to his contributions to notifications, Dellinger's other work at Palm included:

Acted as visual designer, interaction designer, and engineer on Palm webOS.

Co-developed the Application Framework used by webOS. Created the CSS structure and defined HTML layout and structure conventions in Mojo Application Framework, and for core Palm applications.

Co-invented software and hardware interaction models for a new generation of Linux-based, Palm-branded mobile devices.

The webOS banner notification system invented by Dellinger has received considerable positive publicity for its sleek design and unobtrusive nature compared to the pop-up notifications used on Apple's iPhone operating system.

095831 webos notifications
webOS notifications

Dellinger is the latest in a string of high-profile departures from Palm in wake of HP's acquisition of the company. He has taken on a job title of "Senior User Interface Designer" at Apple, although it is unclear exactly what projects he will be working on. He previously worked at Apple from 1999 through 2006 in a variety of capacities, initially focusing on technical support engineering and a revamp of the company's online support site before moving to user interface design for Mac OS X, iPhone and iPod.

Popular Stories

Apple Event Logo

Apple's Next Era Begins September 1

Thursday May 7, 2026 10:36 am PDT by
Apple recently announced that Tim Cook will be stepping down as CEO later this year, after 15 years of leading the company. Effective September 1, Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus will become the company's next CEO, while Cook will become executive chairman of Apple's board of directors. In his new role, Apple said Cook will assist with "certain aspects" of the company,...
Instagram Feature 2

PSA: Instagram Encrypted Messaging Ends on Friday, May 8

Tuesday May 5, 2026 8:24 am PDT by
Instagram will remove end-to-end encryption for direct messages between users from May 8, 2026. When the date comes around, Meta will potentially be able to see the contents of all messages between users on the social media platform. Encrypting messages has been an optional feature in Instagram since 2023, but in March of this year the social media platform quietly updated a help page to say ...
Apple Event Logo

Apple Just Released a New Accessory

Monday May 4, 2026 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today released a new Pride Edition Sport Loop for the Apple Watch. The band features a rainbow design with 11 colors of woven nylon yarns. The new Pride Edition Sport Loop is available to order now on Apple.com and in the Apple Store app in 40mm, 42mm, and 46mm sizes, and it will be available at Apple Store locations starting later this week. In the U.S., the band costs $49. There...