PalmSource chief product officer leaves

PalmSource, the operating system subsidiary of handheld maker Palm, confirmed late Thursday that Chief Product Officer Steve Sakoman has left the company. Sakoman could not be reached for comment.

"Steve Sakoman has the respect of everyone at PalmSource. We are sorry that he has decided to pursue new opportunities, and we wish him good luck," the company said in a statement. A PalmSource representative would not comment further on whether Sakoman's position would be filled or on when he left. (The Sunnyvale, Calif.-based company laid off 18 percent of its work force in the first week of February.) Sakoman, a former Newton boss, went to PalmSource as part of Palm's asset purchase of OS maker Be for $11 million in stock. Sakoman was Be's chief operating officer.