Key facts
- Phil Schiller has stepped down as the head of Apple's App Store.
- Schiller will continue with Apple in an Apple Fellow role.
- Carson Oliver will assume day-to-day operational responsibilities for the App Store.
- The App Store is being moved under the services division led by Eddy Cue.
- Tim Cook is departing as Apple's CEO.
- Several other high-level executives have recently departed or announced upcoming retirements.
Phil Schiller, who has led Apple's App Store since 2015, has stepped down from his position as part of a broader executive reshuffle at the technology giant. Schiller, a long-serving Apple employee since 1987 with a brief interruption, will transition to an Apple Fellow role, focusing on unspecified projects. Insiders suggest this role may be a precursor to his eventual retirement.
Schiller's tenure included overseeing the App Store during the significant antitrust lawsuit filed by Epic Games in 2020, which challenged Apple's in-app fee system and alleged monopolistic practices. While the court largely ruled in Apple's favor, it did mandate that developers be allowed to include external payment options.
Following Schiller's departure, Carson Oliver, who has been with Apple for over 14 years within the App Store division, will assume day-to-day operational responsibilities. The App Store will also be integrated into the services division, headed by Eddy Cue.
Schiller's exit is one of several high-profile departures from Apple. CEO Tim Cook is also leaving his role, and other recent departures include Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams, Vice President Lisa Jackson, General Counsel Kate Adams, and Apple Pay head Jennifer Bailey. Additionally, Paul Meade, the former vice president overseeing the Vision Pro headset, left for OpenAI in June, leading to a downsizing of that team.