Schiller Exits App Store as Cook Says Goodbye

Schiller Exits App Store as Cook Says Goodbye

The News

Phil Schiller is stepping down from running Apple's App Store and its product events, Bloomberg reported Monday — the same day Tim Cook sent his final message to employees as chief executive.

Cook's last day as CEO is August 31. Hardware engineering chief John Ternus takes over September 1.

Schiller has been one of Apple's most visible and influential executives across both the Steve Jobs and Tim Cook eras. Oversight of the App Store moves to services chief Eddy Cue, with Carson Oliver continuing to run the store day to day.

Timeline

August 31, 2026

Cook sends his farewell memo to Apple staff on his final day in the CEO job.

August 31, 2026

Bloomberg reports Schiller is stepping down from leading the App Store and Apple's product events, moving to unspecified initiatives as an Apple Fellow.

September 1, 2026

Ternus formally becomes Apple's chief executive.

Reactions

"I love this company and the team behind it," Cook wrote in his message to employees.

Cook told staff he will "miss this work" but said he has "enormous comfort" in Ternus's leadership, according to Bloomberg.

TechCrunch read the memo as Cook's attempt to frame his successor a specific way: as a product builder with deep experience across the iPhone, Mac, AirPods and Apple's other major hardware lines.

What's Next

Ternus takes the job Tuesday. Cook is not leaving the company — he stays on as executive chairman, continuing to handle Apple's political relationships and appearing at Apple Park and abroad in the new role.

Apple has not said what Schiller's work as an Apple Fellow will involve.

How Ternus handles Apple's artificial intelligence strategy, its regulatory fights and its exposure in China is the open question of the handover.

More

Ternus's elevation points to a hardware-first Apple at a moment when AI demand is driving device sales. Under his engineering leadership Apple shipped the iPhone Air, the lower-cost MacBook Neo and health-focused AirPods, and pushed out new Mac models earlier than usual in 2026 on enterprise AI demand.

Reporting: Bloomberg, TechCrunch, The Verge.

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