Los Angeles ? Jon Rubinstein, a former executive behind Apple Inc.’s iPod, on Wednesday was named chief executive of smartphone maker Palm Inc., replacing Ed Colligan, who is stepping down after 16 years at the company.

The appointment, effective Friday, comes just days after Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Palm launched the $199 Pre, a well-regarded rival to Apple’s blockbuster iPhone. One of Pre’s signature features is that it syncs with the iTunes music store just like an iPod or iPhone.

Rubinstein, 52, will remain chairman — dropping “executive” from that title — a post he assumed in October 2007 to encourage innovation.

Rubinstein began at Apple in 1997 as senior vice president for hardware engineering.