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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Apple's Scott Forstall and John Browett to leave firm | Apple's Scott Forstall and John Browett to leave firm |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Apple has announced a major shake-up of its management, with two senior executives to leave the company. | Apple has announced a major shake-up of its management, with two senior executives to leave the company. |
| The announcement follows embarrassing problems with its new mapping software and disappointing quarterly results. | The announcement follows embarrassing problems with its new mapping software and disappointing quarterly results. |
| Scott Forstall, head of its iOS software, will leave next year. He will serve as an adviser to chief executive Tim Cook in the interim. | Scott Forstall, head of its iOS software, will leave next year. He will serve as an adviser to chief executive Tim Cook in the interim. |
| Head of retail John Browett, the former Dixons boss, is also leaving after just six months in the job. | Head of retail John Browett, the former Dixons boss, is also leaving after just six months in the job. |
| Apple said the moves were a way to increase collaboration across its hardware, software and services businesses. | Apple said the moves were a way to increase collaboration across its hardware, software and services businesses. |
| Mapping problems | Mapping problems |
| The company faced a barrage of criticism after its new mapping software, introduced last month, showed inaccuracies and misplaced towns and cities. | The company faced a barrage of criticism after its new mapping software, introduced last month, showed inaccuracies and misplaced towns and cities. |
| The debacle led to Mr Cook issuing an apology to customers, while some critics called for Mr Forstall's head as he was the executive behind the panned app. | The debacle led to Mr Cook issuing an apology to customers, while some critics called for Mr Forstall's head as he was the executive behind the panned app. |
| He had been described as Apple's CEO-in-waiting and "mini-Steve". Now Scott Forstall faces becoming a footnote in Apple's history. The iOS software chief had worked alongside the firm's late founder Steve Jobs at Next before Apple bought the firm. | |
| His app-based system has been credited as a major factor in turning round the company's fortunes to the point where the iPhone and iPad now account for most of the firm's profits. | |
| However, he has also been described as a polarising figure within the company, and his "skeuomorphic" design ethic - which involved software resembling real-world items such as calendars with torn paper and stitching - was at odds with Jony Ive's more Spartan visions. | |
| The balance of power appears to have shifted after the fiasco over iOS 6's mapping software which led to a front page apology from Tim Cook on Apple's website. | |
| Steve Jobs only secured his legacy after a period in the tech industry's wilderness. Mr Forstall's own legacy will depend on whether he can repeat the trick. | |
| Mr Forstall joined Apple in 1997 when the technology giant purchased Steve Jobs' start-up Next, and he is credited as one of the original architects of Mac OS X. | Mr Forstall joined Apple in 1997 when the technology giant purchased Steve Jobs' start-up Next, and he is credited as one of the original architects of Mac OS X. |
| Mr Browett left British electronics chain Dixons to take up his post with Apple in April this year. His efforts to cut back staffing at the firm's stores provoked a backlash and U-turn, all of which was leaked to the press. | |
| The search for his successor is already underway, with stores reporting directly to chief executive Tim Cook in the meantime. | |
| No specific reasons were given for either man's departure. | No specific reasons were given for either man's departure. |
| Apple's fourth quarter profits of $8.2bn (£5bn) reported last week, also missed Wall Street forecasts, while the 14 million iPads it sold in the quarter fell short of analysts' expectations. | Apple's fourth quarter profits of $8.2bn (£5bn) reported last week, also missed Wall Street forecasts, while the 14 million iPads it sold in the quarter fell short of analysts' expectations. |
| 'Relentless focus' | 'Relentless focus' |
| The management changes come a little over a year into Mr Cook's reign as chief executive. | The management changes come a little over a year into Mr Cook's reign as chief executive. |
| "We are in one of the most prolific periods of innovation and new products in Apple's history," Mr Cook said. | "We are in one of the most prolific periods of innovation and new products in Apple's history," Mr Cook said. |
| "The amazing products that we've introduced in September and October... could only have been created at Apple and are the direct result of our relentless focus on tightly integrating world-class hardware, software and services." | "The amazing products that we've introduced in September and October... could only have been created at Apple and are the direct result of our relentless focus on tightly integrating world-class hardware, software and services." |
| Mr Browett was seen as one of Mr Cook's big hires. The fact he has moved him out after such a short period of time may be seen as the Apple boss demonstrating a ruthless, but perhaps efficient streak. | |
| "These changes show that Tim Cook is stamping his authority on the business," Ben Wood, analyst with CCS Insight, said. | |
| "Perhaps disappointed with the maps issues, Forstall became the scapegoat." |