The changes in Apple’s top management include the reorganization of Phil Schiller’s duties. According to Bloomberg, Schiller, who has been among Apple’s most well-known executives for many years, left his responsibilities over the management of the App Store and the company’s product promotion events. While it is stated that Apple has not yet officially announced this change to the public, it is reported that Schiller has not left the company completely and will continue his duty as an Apple Fellow. It is stated in the news that Schiller will work on some studies, the details of which have not been disclosed, in the future. Thus, while Schiller’s influence in daily operations decreases, his nearly forty-year relationship with Apple seems to continue.
Schiller left his position as senior vice president of worldwide marketing in 2020 and became an Apple Fellow. Despite this, the experienced manager, who maintained his responsibilities over the App Store and Apple’s product activities, continued to be one of the decisive figures, especially in the relations between developers and the company. The legal struggle that has been going on for years between Epic Games and Apple was among the most striking issues that Schiller encountered in the App Store management. Issues such as accepting applications to the store, updating App Store policies, and changing revenue sharing rules following court decisions and regulations enacted in different countries were within his area of responsibility. In addition, Schiller played a role in the development of products such as iPhone and iPod since the Steve Jobs era, contributed to the creation of the App Store, and was one of the most well-known faces on stage at Apple events for many years.
Apple App Store management is connecting to Eddy Cue again
According to Bloomberg, with Schiller’s change of position, Apple is also restructuring its App Store organization. The App Store will now be under the responsibility of Eddy Cue, who manages Apple’s services organization. This arrangement is not actually completely new for the company; Cue was the executive in charge of the App Store until 2015, when Schiller took over. It is stated that Carson Oliver, one of Schiller’s assistants, will be in charge of daily operations. Oliver, to whom Schiller gave more responsibility for the management of the App Store about two years ago, will thus become the directly authorized person in the daily operation of the application store.
There are also corresponding changes in the reporting structure of other managers within the organization. According to Bloomberg, Ann Thai, who is responsible for application distribution tools and third-party application stores, will now report to Oliver. It is stated that Alex Rofman, head of Apple Arcade, will also report to Oliver. This structuring shows that the App Store will be managed under a broader distribution and service organization that is not just Apple’s own store. Especially considering the burden that the regulations in the European Union place on Apple regarding alternative application stores and different payment methods, App Store management will need to pay close attention to both technical and regulatory issues in the coming period.
Management is also changing at Apple events, Schiller’s other important area of responsibility. According to the news, Nola Weinstein, Schiller’s assistant in charge of product promotions, will now manage Apple’s events team. The team will operate under the organization of Kristin Huguet Quayle, vice president of communications and public relations. The first big test of the team under Weinstein is expected to be the Apple event to be held on September 9. According to the expectations in the source text, the company may show new Apple Watch options and the first foldable iPhone model in addition to the iPhone 18 Pro models at this event; However, until Apple’s official announcement, these details about the products should not be considered as final information.
Schiller’s withdrawal from day-to-day management responsibilities also significantly changes the distribution of duties within Apple’s long-standing executive team. Reconnecting the App Store to Eddy Cue’s services organization could bring store policies and Apple’s growing service activities under a closer management structure. However, Carson Oliver’s handling of day-to-day App Store operations will allow Cue to focus on its broader service portfolio. On the event side, Nola Weinstein will take over the management of the product promotion organization that Schiller has shaped over the years. The fact that Schiller will remain at the company as an Apple Fellow indicates that he will continue to benefit from his experience in product development and dating back to the founding of the App Store. Since the scope of his new duties has not been announced by Apple, it remains unclear how effective his future role will be.
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