Today Apple announced that Phil Schiller is going to become an Apple Fellow. Being an Apple Fellow means that he is being recognize by Apple as having a distinguished career and providing extraordinary contributions while working for Apple. Schiller will still be in charge of the App Store and Apple Events.

“Phil has helped make Apple the company it is today and his contributions are broad, vast, and run deep. In this new role he will continue to provide the incredible thought partnership, and guidance that have defined his decades at Apple,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Joz’s many years of leadership in the Product Marketing organization make him perfectly suited to this new role and will ensure a seamless transition at a moment when the team is engaged in such important and exciting work. I’m thrilled that the whole executive team will benefit from his collaboration, ideas, and energy.”

Schiller has helped guide Apple’s products as well as its marketing for 30 years. He most recently led the effort to plan and execute Apple’s first-ever virtual Worldwide Developers Conference. The event, notable both for its innovative software and hardware announcements as well as its creative and much-praised execution, set a new standard for what virtual events can achieve in the era of COVID-19.

“It has been a dream come true for me to work at Apple, on so many products I love, with all of these great friends — Steve, Tim, and so many more,” said Schiller. “I first started at Apple when I was 27, this year I turned 60 and it is time for some planned changes in my life. I’ll keep working here as long as they will have me, I bleed six colors, but I also want to make some time in the years ahead for my family, friends, and a few personal projects I care deeply about.”

To go along with this Greg (Joz) Joswiak, who has been a a longtime leader within Apple Product Marketing , will take over part of Phil Schiller's role, in particular he will be on the Apple executive team as senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing.

Joswiak takes on the role of senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. This organization is responsible for Apple’s product management and product marketing, developer relations, market research, business management, as well as education, enterprise, and international marketing.

Joswiak brings more than 20 years in leadership roles across Apple product marketing and has served as the vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing for the past four years. Joswiak has overseen the product management and product marketing for numerous breakthrough products including the original iPod and iPhone. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering from the University of Michigan.

This is a big change for Apple, particularly since Schiller has been at Apple for so long. It was something that would eventual happen. Apple will not be the same without Schiller. As John Gruber stated, "Schiller hasn’t just been at Apple a long time — he’s held the position atop product marketing for, well, as long as I can remember."

Source: Apple

I meant to post this a couple weeks ago, but this is a really good interview with Phil Schiller, Apple's Senior Vice President of Marketing, and John Gruber.

from John Gruber on Vimeo.