Phil Schiller is leaving his biggest jobs at Apple

Phil Schiller is stepping away from his two most prominent roles at Apple, handing off leadership of the App Store and the company’s product event presentations. The change comes as part of a broader leadership transition, arriving just one day before hardware chief John Ternus is set to succeed Tim Cook as CEO. Cook is stepping down on September 1st, and Schiller’s shift in responsibilities is the latest move reshaping the executive team. Schiller will remain with the company in the role of Apple Fellow, though it is not yet clear what projects he will take on in that position.

The App Store division is being moved under Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services, according to a report from Bloomberg. Carson Oliver, who has been leading the App Store, will continue in his current role. This consolidation places the digital storefront within the same umbrella as other Apple services, such as Apple Music and iCloud, which Cue already oversees. The change effectively removes Schiller from direct operational control of the App Store, a business that has faced regulatory scrutiny from US and international authorities over its commission structure and app review policies.

Schiller’s departure from these duties marks the end of a long era of direct involvement in Apple’s most visible product launches. He first joined Apple in 1987, then returned to become the company’s head of marketing in 1997. In that capacity, he became a familiar face on stage during product reveals, helping to introduce devices that defined Apple’s modern lineup, including the iPhone, iPad, iPod, and Mac. He also played a key role in the creation of the App Store, which launched alongside Steve Jobs in 2008 and has since grown into a massive platform for third-party software.

He had already stepped back from the top marketing role in 2020, handing that title to Greg Joswiak, but he remained active in overseeing the App Store and in presenting at major events like the annual Worldwide Developers Conference. Those duties will now pass to others, leaving Schiller with a less defined but still senior position at the company. The exact nature of his future work has not been disclosed, either by Apple or by Schiller himself.

For US consumers, the shift means the person who has long been the public face of Apple’s app economy and product stage will no longer hold those responsibilities. The App Store remains a critical gateway for millions of American iPhone users to download software, and its management has become a focal point in both courtroom battles and legislative debates. With Cue taking over, the store will likely be managed with a greater emphasis on unifying the company’s broader service offerings, though Apple has not commented on any specific policy changes. The company has not issued a statement about Schiller’s new focus as an Apple Fellow, leaving his next chapter open to speculation.

More software news from TechManNews.