Schiller will remain an Apple Fellow and focus on “unspecified initiatives,” according to Bloomberg.
As Tim Cook steps aside as Apple CEO and John Ternus takes over the top job, it seems there are other changes taking place at the company’s executive level. Phil Schiller has reportedly stepped down from overseeing the App Store and product events. Schiller is said to be continuing at the company as an Apple Fellow and working on “unspecified initiatives.” Apple hasn’t publicly announced the transition, which was first reported by Bloomberg.
Schiller — who stepped down as senior vice president of marketing in 2020 — is one of the most publicly recognizable figures at Apple as he was a mainstay of its events for many years. Along with revealing new products and leading the creation of the App Store with Steve Jobs, Schiller helped shape devices like the iPhone and iPod.
As the head of the App Store, Schiller took charge of dealing with developers (including Epic Games amid the long-running legal battle between the two sides) and deciding whether to approve certain apps. He was also primarily responsible for policy updates and handling revenue share adjustments following court cases and new laws being enforced.
It appears Apple is taking this opportunity to restructure its teams. Bloomberg reports that the App Store will again fall under the remit of Eddy Cue, who is now in charge of the services division. Cue ran the App Store until Schiller took over in 2015.
Carson Oliver, one of Schiller’s App Store deputies, will lead that team on a day-to-day basis, per the report. Schiller tasked Oliver with overseeing the App Store two years ago, with Ann Thai (who is now said to report to Oliver) then taking on responsibility for app distribution tools and third-party marketplaces. The head of Apple Arcade, Alex Rofman, is now reporting to Oliver too, according to Bloomberg.
Nola Weinstein, Schiller’s deputy for product launches, will now reportedly lead Apple’s events team. That group falls under the remit of Kristin Huguet Quayle, vice president of communications and public relations. The first event under Weinstein’s leadership takes place on September 9, where we’re expecting to see the iPhone 18 Pro models, new Apple Watch variants and the company’s first foldable iPhone.
