App Store VP departing Apple amid broader restructuring

Apple’s App Store vice president is leaving the company in October, according to a new report from Bloomberg.

The structure of the App Store team is also being split into two teams, a change implemented by Phil Schiller in response to the ever-changing App Store policy worldwide.

Matt Fischer has served as the vice president of the App Store since 2010, reporting to Apple Fellow Phil Schiller. Fischer announced his departure in an email today, saying:

“After 21 years at Apple, I’ve made the decision to step away from our incredible company. This has been on my mind for some time, and as we are also reorganizing the team to better manage new challenges and opportunities, now is the right moment to pass the baton to two outstanding leaders on my team.”

According to his LinkedIn, Fischer currently holds the title of “Vice President, Head of Worldwide App Store and Apple Arcade.” He joined Apple in 2003 and led marketing and partnerships for iTunes before shifting to the App Store in 2010.

Alongside Fischer’s departure, the App Store group will be “split into two teams.” One team will be responsible for overseeing Apple’s own App Store, while the other will be “responsible for alternative app distribution.”

Longtime Apple veteran Carson Oliver will lead the App Store team, while App Store product director Ann Thai will lead the alternative app distribution team.

Oliver joined Apple in 2012 and currently serves as Senior Director of Business Management for the App Store. Thai joined Apple in 2010 and worked on Apple’s education apps marketing, eventually becoming “Worldwide Product Director, App Store and Apple Arcade” in January 2020.

The App Store is currently led by Phil Schiller, who became an Apple Fellow in August 2020. At the time, Apple said he would “continue to lead the App Store and Apple events” while also offering “thought partnership and guidance.”

The backdrop to today’s news is that the App Store is facing continued regulatory pressure around the world, including the European Union. Apple launched support for third-party iPhone app stores with iOS 17.4 earlier this year. With iOS 17.5, Apple also added support for downloading apps directly from a developer’s website.