By Rajwa Quasim
Apple is undergoing one of its most significant leadership transitions in years, with longtime App Store head Phil Schiller among the latest executives to step down. Schiller has led the App Store since 2015.
Schiller is a veteran Apple executive who worked closely with both Steve Jobs and Tim Cook. He joined the company in 1987 and took only a four-year break during his tenure. Although he is stepping down as App Store head, Schiller will remain an Apple Fellow, a title reserved for people who have made outstanding technical or leadership contributions to the company. He will now work on unspecified projects.
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The day-to-day operations of the App Store will be overseen by Carson Oliver, who has been with Apple for more than 14 years and has worked in the App Store division.
The move comes shortly after Cook stepped down as Apple’s CEO after 15 years, handing the position to former hardware chief John Ternus.
Schiller’s departure initially appeared to be driven by his desire to spend more time with his family and on philanthropic activities. However, a Bloomberg report suggests that Apple’s new strategy for the App Store also influenced his decision. Under Ternus and Services chief Eddy Cue, Apple is reportedly looking at ways to increase margins and generate more recurring revenue from the App Store.
Schiller apparently believed that an aggressive approach to increasing revenue could worsen the company’s already strained relationships with developers and governments. As a result, he reportedly chose to step away rather than become involved in an internal confrontation.
Bloomberg’s report offers new details on why Schiller stepped down from overseeing the App Store, which generates more than $30 billion a year. He had previously opposed Apple’s plan to charge a 27% commission on purchases made through developers’ websites after users followed links from apps. Court records show he had concerns about the fees and feared they could damage Apple’s relationship with developers. Although other company executives supported the plan, Schiller strongly disagreed. Cook sided with the finance executives who supported the commission charge over Schiller’s objections.
The dispute came amid a legal battle in which “Fortnite” maker Epic Games accused Apple of anticompetitive practices, including charging developers’ high fees. A judge ordered Apple to allow developers to provide users with alternative payment options outside the App Store.
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers wrote, “Internally, Philip Schiller had advocated that Apple comply with the injunction. […] But Tim Cook ignored Schiller and instead allowed Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri and his finance team to convince him otherwise […] Cook chose poorly.”
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A federal court upheld the ruling in December 2025 but reduced the punishment. The court said Apple could potentially charge developers a fee for legitimate costs and intellectual property involved in processing outside purchases. The case represented a major shift for Schiller, who for years had publicly defended Apple’s tight control over the App Store.
Schiller’s departure is the latest in a series of executive changes at the company. Former COO Jeff Williams recently retired after 27 years. Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives Lisa Jackson and General Counsel Kate Adams both announced their retirements in December 2025. Apple Pay chief Jennifer Bailey is set to retire in October.