A key executive has stepped down from his roles at Apple but remains with the company. What's next?

Phil Schiller, one of Apple’s most prominent executives since the days of Steve Jobs, has stepped down from roles related to managing the App Store and leading the company’s product presentations, according to Bloomberg sources. Schiller remains at Apple, but his departure from these key roles comes amid a leadership shakeup, including the arrival of a new CEO, John Turnus.

Phil Schiller, 66, has stepped down from his roles related to the App Store and the team responsible for organizing Apple’s product presentations, according to Bloomberg sources. However, he remains with the company as an Apple Fellow—a special title the company awards to employees for outstanding technical or leadership contributions. Schiller told employees that he will continue working on unspecified projects, according to Bloomberg sources.

For decades, Schiller was one of Apple’s most prominent executives. He represented the company at presentations for its key products and was involved in decision-making regarding the iPhone, iPad, iPod, and numerous Mac models, according to Bloomberg. Together with Steve Jobs, he also helped create the App Store. Schiller, among other things, made key decisions regarding the approval of controversial apps, liaised with developers, and oversaw changes to the store’s rules and commission rates in response to lawsuits and new regulatory requirements. In particular, Schiller was involved in Apple’s standoff with Fortnite’s creator, Epic Games, in a years-long legal dispute over in-app purchases, Bloomberg notes. After stepping down as head of marketing in 2020, Schiller continued to oversee the App Store and Apple events.

Schiller’s departure from his most recent senior roles could be an important step toward his eventual retirement, according to unnamed Apple employees cited by Bloomberg. It also underscores the scale of the personnel changes that Apple’s new CEO, John Turnus, will have to navigate, Bloomberg notes. September 1 marks Turnus’s first day in his new role. Tim Cook, who led Apple for 15 years, has remained with the company as executive chairman of the board of directors.

At the App Store, Schiller will be replaced by a team of his subordinates and other Apple employees, including Eddy Cue, who heads Apple’s services division and previously led the App Store until 2015, according to Bloomberg. On a day-to-day basis, the App Store will be overseen by Carson Oliver, head of the App Store’s international division, who will now report directly to Cue.

The team responsible for Apple's events and presentations will be led by Nola Weinstein, who has served as Schiller's deputy since 2023.

Over the next three years, Ternus will likely also have to replace the heads of hardware, marketing, retail sales, and HR—key divisions for Apple, according to Bloomberg. This is because many members of Cook’s executive team stayed with the company until they were 60–65 years old.

The agency speculated that the following employees might leave the company in the coming years:

Deirdre O'Brien, Senior Vice President of Retail and People. O’Brien, 60, is one of Tim Cook’s closest colleagues. She has worked at Apple for nearly 40 years and is expected to retire from the company within the next few years.

Johnny Srouji, Chief Hardware Officer. Srouji is responsible for Apple’s chip development and told Cook last year that he was considering stepping down. He oversaw the transition of Mac computers from Intel processors to Apple’s own chips—a process that has now been completed. Another project important to Srouji—replacing Qualcomm modems with Apple’s own designs—is also nearing completion.

Greg Joswiak, Senior Vice President of Marketing. Joswiak, 62, has been with Apple for about 40 years and is considered one of Turnus’s close friends. Although he will have the option to remain with the company as long as he wishes, Bloomberg reports that he is still expected to step down from his position within the next few years.

Luca Maestri, vice president of corporate services. Following Maestri’s potential departure, Apple will need to appoint new leaders for the real estate, information security, and information systems and technology divisions, which currently report to him.

This article was AI-translated and verified by a human editor