Eddy Cue's re-takeover of the App Store itself is the most straightforward sentence in this wave of personnel adjustments: he handed over this job ten years ago, and now he has taken it back.
According to Bloomberg, Phil Schiller has stepped down as director of the App Store and product launches. Apple has not yet made a public statement on this. Schiller will retain his title as an Apple Fellow and remain with the company, working on projects described only as "unspecified projects" in reports.
This adjustment occurred when Tim Cook stepped down as CEO and John Ternus took over, showing that this wave of personnel changes in Apple's top management is not only happening at the top.
Schiller, who stepped down as senior vice president of marketing in 2020, is one of the most recognizable faces at Apple's press conferences in years. He created the App Store with Steve Jobs and also participated in the shaping process of the iPhone and iPod.
While in charge of the App Store, Schiller was responsible for facing developers, including the years-long lawsuit with Epic Games. He also led the update of the App Store policy, as well as multiple court rulings and adjustments to the profit sharing ratio after the new law came into effect.
Bloomberg pointed out that the App Store will be re-integrated into the services department headed by Eddy Cue - Cue was originally the person in charge of the App Store before Schiller took over in 2015. Day-to-day operations are handed over to Schiller's deputy Carson Oliver. Oliver has been assigned to be in charge of App Store-related affairs two years ago. Ann Thai, who is responsible for third-party app stores and distribution tools, and Apple Arcade director Alex Rofman now report to Oliver.
The launch team was handed over to Nola Weinstein, who was originally Schiller's deputy in charge of product launches and is now under the command of Kristin Huguet Quayle, vice president of public relations. The first conference led by Weinstein is scheduled for September 9, when the outside world is expected to see the iPhone 18 Pro series, the new Apple Watch, and Apple's first foldable screen iPhone.
