Advertisement

Two top Apple executives heading out door

Hundreds of Chinese wait for China's newest (sixth) and Asia's largest Apple store, a sprawling 3-floor complex, to open in central Beijing, not far from Tiananmen Square, on October 20, 2012. Apple's iPhones, iPads and computers are very popular with Chinese, but with only five authorized stores in the country copy cats have sprung up to meet the demand. China is now the second-biggest market for Apple after the United States, but the company has also faced frequent criticism for the working conditions in which its products are produced in China. UPI/Stephen Shaver
Hundreds of Chinese wait for China's newest (sixth) and Asia's largest Apple store, a sprawling 3-floor complex, to open in central Beijing, not far from Tiananmen Square, on October 20, 2012. Apple's iPhones, iPads and computers are very popular with Chinese, but with only five authorized stores in the country copy cats have sprung up to meet the demand. China is now the second-biggest market for Apple after the United States, but the company has also faced frequent criticism for the working conditions in which its products are produced in China. UPI/Stephen Shaver | License Photo

CUPERTINO, Calif., Oct. 30 (UPI) -- U.S. technology giant Apple says two key executives are departing, both of whom made high-profile blunders this year.

The company said Monday Scott Forstall is leaving after 15 years at Apple. He was considered a protege of Steve Jobs, the company's previous chief executive officer and founder who died of cancer last year, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.

Advertisement

Forstall was in charge of the operating system that runs the iPhone and the iPad and oversaw the creation of Apple's mapping software that was full of humiliating mistakes, including simply misplacing many locations.

Apple also said John Browett, the company's retail chief, is leaving.

Browett, the former CEO of Dixons, a British retail chain, never quite fit in at Apple, the Times said.

In August, Browett apologized for a design for store staffing that he was forced to withdraw.

Analysts said the departures put more decision-making power in the hands of CEO Timothy Cook and the company's head industrial designer, Jonathan Ive.

"Tim Cook was always Steve Jobs' right-hand man. Jony Ive was his golden boy," said Gene Munster, an industry analyst at Piper Jaffray.

Advertisement

Other analysts applauded the shakeup, some because it was a sign that Cook would hold Apple to the same high standards that Jobs did.

"Tim Cook needs to make these kinds of changes occasionally to keep forward progress," said Colin Gillis at BGC Partners.

Craig Federighi, who is the head of the operating systems for Mac computers will also take on more responsibility, overseeing the operating software for mobile devices, which the company plans to integrate.

Other analysts considered that a good move, as well, since decision making for the operating systems would be handled by one executive, which is often more efficient than two.

Eddy Cue, the head of the company's online services, will take over the firm's maps and Siri software systems.

Latest Headlines

Advertisement

Trending Stories

Advertisement

Follow Us

Advertisement