Apple just announced some extremely major executive changes for the company in an official press release, noting that Scott Forstall, the company’s well-known SVP of iOS software, will leave the company early next year:
Apple® today announced executive management changes that will encourage even more collaboration between the Company’s world-class hardware, software and services teams. As part of these changes, Jony Ive, Bob Mansfield, Eddy Cue and Craig Federighi will add more responsibilities to their roles. Apple also announced that Scott Forstall will be leaving Apple next year and will serve as an advisor to CEO Tim Cook in the interim.
“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.”
Craig Federighi will assume Forstall’s position, Eddie Cue will take over Siri and Maps, while Jony Ive will “provide leadership and direction for Human Interface (HI) across the company”, while continuing to serve as their Industrial Design lead.
Bob Mansfield will also lead a new group at Apple called Technologies, that will focus on bringing Apple’s wireless teams together into a single group in order to fuel greater innovation. Also notable is that Apple’s controversial retail chief John Browett will also be leaving Apple.
Looks like some huge changes are coming to Apple in the near future – and it may spark a new direction in how Apple continues with their iOS platform!
This story is developing – we’ll bring you more as we hear it. In the meantime, you can read Apple’s full press release on their PR site.
Update: Apple has already removed Forstall and Browett from their executive lineup on Apple.com.