Phil Schiller, one of Apple’s most enduring and recognizable executives, is stepping down from his long-running role as the head of the App Store and Apple’s product launch events. According to a report, Schiller will keep the title of Apple Fellow and will continue working on unspecified initiatives. The move is another sign of generational change at the company, coming just before John Ternus is set to take over as CEO from Tim Cook.

A long and influential Apple career

Schiller joined Apple in 1987, more than a decade before Steve Jobs returned to the company. His early years at Apple were spent working on product marketing and communications, helping to define the way Apple presented its computers to consumers. In 1997, he became the company’s head of marketing, a position that made him one of the most visible figures at Apple outside of Jobs himself.

Over the next decades, Schiller became a familiar presence on stage at Apple’s launch events. He helped introduce the iMac, MacBook, iPhone, iPad, iPod, and many other products. His energetic, detail-heavy presentations made him a favorite among Apple fans, even as the company’s product lineup expanded and the technology industry changed around it.

Schiller was also closely involved in the creation of the App Store, which launched with the iPhone in 2008 alongside Steve Jobs. Although he did not formally take over the App Store until 2015, he was one of the key executives involved in shaping its policies, developer tools, and business model from the beginning. The App Store has since grown into one of the largest software marketplaces in the world, generating hundreds of billions of dollars in developer earnings and supporting an entire ecosystem of apps, games, subscriptions, and services.

In 2020, Schiller stepped away from his role as senior vice president of marketing, handing those duties to Greg Joswiak. At the time, Apple said Schiller would focus on the App Store and 'special projects.' That change was widely interpreted as a preparation for a longer transition away from day-to-day management. The latest report suggests that transition is now nearly complete.

The App Store under pressure

Schiller’s tenure as App Store head has not been without conflict. In recent years, the App Store has become the center of legal battles and regulatory scrutiny around the world. Developers have argued that Apple’s requirement that many apps use its own payment system is unfair, while regulators have questioned whether the App Store’s fees and restrictions stifle competition.

Governments and courts have forced Apple to make significant changes to its App Store policies. In Europe, the Digital Markets Act required Apple to allow alternative app marketplaces and third-party payment systems. The company also faced a long-running legal fight with Epic Games over Fortnite’s access to the App Store, a case that touched on the definition of the market, the limits of Apple’s control, and the ability of developers to communicate with customers about alternative payment options.

During this period, Schiller defended Apple’s approach in public statements and interviews, arguing that the App Store was built to protect users and maintain a secure environment. He also oversaw changes to the App Store’s search, advertising, subscription, and small business programs. The App Store facilitated more than $1.4 trillion in transactions in the past year, according to figures cited in the report, but the regulatory pressure has shown no signs of easing.

Schiller’s departure from the App Store leadership role means he will no longer be the executive defending those decisions in public or managing the response to new regulations. The report says Apple is moving the App Store division under Eddy Cue, the company’s head of services. Carson Oliver will continue to lead the store with the help of Ann Thai, who is in charge of app distribution tools and third-party marketplaces.

A changing of the guard at Apple’s top

The news of Schiller’s reduced role comes at a pivotal moment for Apple’s leadership. Tim Cook, who has served as CEO since 2011, is stepping down on September 1st. He will be replaced by John Ternus, who has led Apple’s hardware engineering efforts and been one of Cook’s top lieutenants. Ternus is known for overseeing the development of Apple's custom silicon, including the M-series chips that have powered the company’s Mac and iPad lines.

The leadership change is one of the most significant transitions in Apple’s history. Cook led the company through a period of enormous growth, making Apple the first public company to reach a $3 trillion market cap and expanding its services business substantially. Ternus will inherit a company with a strong financial foundation, but he will also face a number of challenges, from slowing hardware upgrades to regulatory battles and increased competition in artificial intelligence.

Schiller’s decision to step back from the App Store and events removes one of the few remaining executives from Apple’s early revival era. He had been involved in some of Apple’s most important moments, from the return of Steve Jobs to the introduction of the iPhone, and his absence from the App Store will be keenly felt for years. While he remains an Apple Fellow, it is unclear what specific projects he will be working on.

Wider executive departures

Schiller is far from the only senior Apple executive to leave or change roles recently. The company has seen a broader exodus in its top ranks. Former chief financial officer Luca Maestri stepped down in January 2025, after playing a central role in Apple’s financial strategy for more than a decade. Apple’s chief operating officer, Jeff Williams, also left the company, as did design chief Alan Dye and artificial intelligence head John Giannandrea.

Lisa Jackson, Apple’s environmental and policy lead, retired last year. The company also announced that general counsel Kate Adams will be replaced by former Meta chief legal officer Jennifer Newstead. These departures have created a much younger leadership team around Ternus, and many of the new appointees have not yet been tested in the public arena.

Some inside Apple believe the turnover is a natural result of a leadership transition. Senior executives often time their exits around a change at the top, and Ternus may benefit from being able to build a team that he chooses. But the loss of so many experienced leaders at once also creates risk. Apple is navigating major product transitions, including the growth of its services business, the expansion of its mixed-reality lineup, and the integration of new AI features. Having fewer veteran executives around to guide those efforts could make the next few years more complicated.

What remains of Schiller’s legacy

Phil Schiller may be stepping away from the spotlight, but his fingerprints remain all over Apple’s product ecosystem. His marketing instincts helped shape the company’s public image for decades, and his work on the App Store defined how software is distributed and monetized on hundreds of millions of devices. The App Store is now a central part of Apple’s strategy, contributing to the services category that has become one of the company’s most important revenue streams.

Even as he transitions to an unnamed role as Apple Fellow, Schiller will likely continue to have influence inside the company. Apple Fellows are typically senior employees who are allowed to work on long-term projects without the pressure of day-to-day responsibilities. Apple has used the title sparingly, and it has often been a way to retain key talent while bringing in new leadership.

What Schiller will actually do next remains an open question. He might advise on product development, serve as an ambassador for the company, or help with special projects. But his days of running the App Store and appearing on stage for product launches appear to be over. Apple has not publicly commented on the changes, and the company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Source: The Verge News