Phil Schiller (66), who led marketing at Apple for many years and is currently an “Apple Fellow,” has stepped down from overseeing the App Store and managing product launch events, according to AppleInsider, an overseas media outlet based on a report from Bloomberg. This announcement coincides with Tim Cook’s retirement as CEO, and can be said to be a personnel change that concludes the generational change in management to the new management under John Ternus. Since the App Store is a service that directly interacts with Japanese developers and users, the change in the person in charge is not relevant to Japan either.
Schiller has stepped down from his role as head of the App Store and events.
According to AppleInsider, Schiller is scaling back his work at Apple, and has left his long-held roles overseeing the App Store and managing product launch events. The decision was made in the last few days during the final stages of Cook’s tenure as CEO, Bloomberg reports.
Since Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997, Mr. Schiller has served as senior vice president of marketing and has supported the release of numerous products including the first iPhone. Even after he retired from the front line in 2020 and took on the title of “Apple Fellow,” he continued to oversee the App Store and event management. About six years later, I have retired from these two jobs.
Announcement on the same day as Cook’s resignation concludes generational change
What makes this appointment noteworthy is that it was revealed on the same day as Mr. Cook’s announcement of his retirement as CEO. Mr. Cook will be succeeded by Mr. John Ternus, who has been in charge of hardware engineering.
At Apple, there has been a succession of changes in veteran executives who were familiar with the Jobs era, such as Chief Operating Officer (COO) Jeff Williams retiring in 2025. With Mr. Schiller’s business downsizing announced on the same day as Mr. Cook’s retirement, it appears that the transition to a new management structure centered on Mr. Ternus has entered the final stage.
Change of App Store manager will also affect regulatory compliance
The App Store, which Mr. Schiller has overseen, has come under pressure from tightening regulations around the world regarding fees and the handling of external payments, and in the United States, commission revenue is reported to have declined by 18%. In the US, Schiller himself appeared in court as a witness in a lawsuit with Epic Games, and in Europe, the company has been forced to respond to the Digital Markets Act (DMA). In Japan, the Smartphone Software Competition Promotion Act will go into effect in December 2025, and measures are underway to open up app distribution and payment methods.
With the change of the person at the helm of these difficult times, there is a possibility that Apple’s regulatory policy will change as well. The lineup of the new Ternus organization will be interesting to see who will take over the App Store and event management.
The immediate impact on Japanese users is expected to be small.
This personnel change is related to Apple’s management structure, and it seems that the content of the App Store services that Japanese users use on a daily basis will not change immediately. On the other hand, policies for compliance with the Smartphone Software Competition Promotion Act and fees and screening rules for developers will be determined by a new person in charge. For developers distributing apps in Japan, successor personnel and policies are important points to keep an eye on.
Schiller was also a familiar face at Apple’s keynote address. Attention will also be focused on how Apple will manage the new iPhone announcement event, which is expected to be held in September, without his involvement.
There will be three successors including Eddie Cue – Schiller will remain at Apple
MacRumors reports that the role played by Mr. Schiller will be taken over by three people. Eddie Cue will take over as head of the App Store. He is the senior vice president who oversees the services division, including Apple Music and Apple TV+, and the App Store will also fall under that umbrella.
Nora Weinstein, who has worked under Schiller, will take over the oversight of product launch events. The day-to-day operations of the App Store will be handled by Carson Oliver, who has been on the App Store team for many years.
Please note that Mr. Schiller is not leaving Apple. It is reported that he will keep his Apple Fellow title and work on an undisclosed project. This is a change in role to narrow down the scope of responsibility.
Source: AppleInsider・MacRumors
Source: iPhone Mania
