Apple Fellow Phil Schiller Steps Back From App Store and Events

Phil Schiller is officially stepping back from some of his biggest jobs at Apple. The longtime Apple Fellow will no longer manage the App Store or oversee the massive product launch presentations that the company holds throughout the year. Instead, the 66-year-old executive will focus on unspecified personal projects while keeping his honorary title, moving one step closer to full retirement after decades of helping build the brand alongside Steve Jobs.

New leaders take over the digital storefront and product events

With Schiller stepping away, the company is shuffling its team to fill the gap. Eddy Cue, who already serves as the services chief, will now take charge of the digital marketplace. Cue actually ran this storefront until 2015, making this a familiar spot for him. For day-to-day tasks, Carson Oliver will step in to handle the regular work of keeping the marketplace running smoothly.

The group that puts together the big product shows is also getting a new boss. Nola Weinstein, who worked as a deputy to Schiller, will now lead the global events team. She will report directly to Kristin Huguet Quayle, the vice president of communications.

This team shakeup happens right during a huge transition for the whole tech giant. The news dropped right as Tim Cook finishes his 15-year run as the top boss. With John Ternus stepping up to take the main office tomorrow, these internal moves show how the incoming leadership group is getting ready for a new chapter.

While Schiller is not leaving the company completely, his lighter workload marks the end of an era. Since coming back to the office in 1997, he helped launch massive hit products like the iPod and iPhone, and he basically wrote the rules for app developers around the world. Now, he gets to take a well-earned step back while the next generation of leaders takes the wheel.