Apple on Monday announced a major top-level management shakeup that is being seen as the biggest change since Steve Jobs stepped down as CEO.
Apple announced that Senior Vice President, iOS Software, Scott Forstall will be leaving Apple next year and will serve as an advisor to CEO Tim Cook in the interim. While Apple obviously did not reveal the reasons behind the exit, it is speculated that high profile like Maps and
differences in opinion with the rest of the top management, especially Jony Ive over the future of skeuomorphic design, may have cost Forstall his job.
Another man headed for the exit door is John Browett, who was only recently hired to head Apple's famous Retail operations. Again, while the reasons aren't official, it is
rumoured Browett tried to introduce new ideas intended to make Apple's retail operations more cost effective, which likely didn't go down well in an organisation that's driven by delivering a great retail experience, rather than pure numbers.
While Apple is actively looking for Browett's replacement, Craig Federighi, presently Senior Vice President, Mac Software Engineering, will now take over iOS development as well. Additionally, Jony Ive, Senior Vice President, Industrial Design, and the man behind Apple's iconic products, will now provide leadership and direction for Human Interface (HI) across the company. Eddy Cue, Senior Vice President, Internet Software and Services, will take charge of Siri and Maps in addition to iCloud, App Store, iTunes Store, iBookstore and iAd.
Finally, Apple announced the creation of a new group called Technologies, to be headed by Senior Vice President, Bob Mansfield. The group combines all of Apple's wireless and semiconductor teams across the company in one organisation.
"We are in one of the most prolific periods of innovation and new products in Apple's history," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "The amazing products that we've introduced in September and October, iPhone 5, iOS 6, iPad mini, iPad, iMac, MacBook Pro, iPod touch, iPod nano and many of our applications, could only have been created at Apple and are the direct result of our relentless focus on tightly integrating world-class hardware, software and services."