Phil Schiller's App Store exit may be linked to unease over Apple's future strategy
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that longtime Apple executive Phil Schiller's departure from leading the App Store was driven not only by family and philanthropy, but also by discomfort with the company's future direction.
Longtime Apple executive Phil Schiller is stepping down as head of the App Store, though he will remain with the company as an Apple Fellow, working on unspecified projects. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Schiller has publicly attributed the move to wanting more time for family and philanthropic work.
A possible underlying reason
However, Gurman's sources point to another factor behind the decision. New Apple CEO John Ternus and services chief Eddy Cue reportedly want to boost App Store profit margins and grow recurring revenue. Apple's handling of the App Store, and the cut it takes from developer payments, has long drawn criticism and has been the subject of major lawsuits.
No major clash reported
Gurman notes there was no significant confrontation between Schiller and the new leadership over this strategy. Still, Schiller reportedly believed that pushing for greater profits from the App Store would only deepen tensions with governments and developers. As a result, he chose to step aside rather than be involved in carrying out that approach.
