Phil Schiller steps down from App Store and Apple Events roles
Phil Schiller, one of Apple's most recognizable executives, is stepping back from two of his biggest responsibilities: running the App Store and overseeing the company's product events. The move comes on the same day John Ternus officially starts as Apple's new CEO, with Tim Cook shifting to Executive Chairman. Schiller, 66, isn't leaving Apple entirely — he stays on as an Apple Fellow — but the reshuffle marks a clear generational shift at the top.
The new lineup
Eddy Cue, Apple's Senior Vice President of Services, takes back control of the App Store — a role he actually held from 2008 until 2015, when Schiller took over. Carson Oliver will handle day-to-day App Store operations, reporting up through Cue's Services division. On the events side, Nola Weinstein steps in to lead Apple's product presentations, reporting to VP of Communications Kristin Huguet Quayle.
Schiller has been with Apple since 1987. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, who broke the story, noted that Schiller plans to work on unspecified new projects — though his age suggests retirement may not be far off.
Why the App Store move matters
This isn't just a personnel shuffle. The App Store has been Apple's most legally and politically contested product for years. The EU fined Apple €500 million in April 2025 for blocking developers from directing users to cheaper prices elsewhere — a violation of the Digital Markets Act's anti-steering rules. Regulatory pressure is also building in the US, Japan, South Korea, and Brazil.
Schiller's tenure at the App Store was dominated by that turbulence. Pulling the App Store back into Cue's Services division — which also owns Apple Music, Apple TV+, and Apple Pay — suggests Ternus wants tighter integration between the store and Apple's broader services strategy, with compliance machinery at the center rather than product stage presence.
What's next
Apple's annual September event is set for September 9, and it's expected to be Ternus's first major public moment as CEO. The lineup reportedly includes Apple's first foldable iPhone. With Weinstein now in charge of the show, it will be her first major production — and a close watch for anyone wondering how Apple's famously controlled event style might evolve under new leadership.
