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Scott Forstall, who had been Apple's SVP of iOS Software. Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP/Press Association Images

Apple's SVP of iOS Software to leave as part of restructurings

Scott Forstall had overseen some of the company’s more embarassing let downs in recent years – Siri and Apple Maps.

THERE HAS BEEN a massive shake up in the executive ranks at Apple.

Scott Forstall, the brilliant, but polarizing SVP who leads iOS, is out. As is John Browett who took over Apple’s retail operations earlier this year.

Forstall’s responsibilities are going to be split amongst three long time Apple execs:

  • Jony Ive, who leads hardware design, will lead Human Interface across the company.
  • Eddy Cue, who leads Internet services, will take over Siri and Maps.
  • Craig Federighi, who runs OSX, will also lead iOS development.

Apple is going to be looking for a new head of retail. Browett’s departure is surprising because of how short his tenure is with the company. However, he has been a controversial figure.

He was cutting hours, and trying to make Apple stores more profitable, which seemed silly considering Apple makes a lot of money, and its stores are about providing excellent customer service.

Forstall is a much bigger surprise than Browett. Forstall has been at Apple basically his entire career. He was seen as the CEO-in-waiting, a Steve Jobs-like perfectionist who could one day lead Apple.

iOS

He led iOS after winning a brutal internal competition to design the iPhone’s software. On the way to winning he made many enemies. Reportedly, Tony Fadell, who is considered the godfather of the iPod left Apple after losing out on designing iPhone software to Forstall.

Forstall also reportedly couldn’t be in the same room as Ive or Bob Mansfield. Incidentally, Mansfield got a new job today, too. Mansfield will be in charge of a new group called, “Technologies,” which will work on wireless technology and semiconductors.

After scoring a big early victory with iOS, Forstall oversaw two of Apple’s biggest let downs in recent years: Maps and Siri. Siri, which is supposed to be voice-based personal assistance software has been a big flop. And Maps was so bad, CEO Tim Cook apologized to customers over it.

Forstall was also said to be leading the charge for Apple’s design to be skeuomorphic, which is a fancy way of saying making digital things look like their analog counterparts.

For instance, in the new Apple Podcasts app, there are tape decks playing. There is no reason to make a digital version of tape decks. This design language was said to be controversial inside Apple, and it could have contributed to his departure.

You can read Apple’s press release on the changes here.

Read: Oh dear: Apple Maps has made some pretty big mistakes in its Ireland maps >

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    Mute ManOnTheStreet
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    Oct 30th 2012, 2:52 PM

    Hopefully he is not using apple maps or he will be stuck in the apple car park forever!

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    Mute Sean Herbert
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    Oct 30th 2012, 3:38 PM

    Apple maps joke has never been done.

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    Mute ManOnTheStreet
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    Oct 30th 2012, 6:38 PM

    Cool. Glad I could be the first!

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    Mute JP Sherry
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    Oct 30th 2012, 2:47 PM

    Any staff changes at Samsung we should know about?

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    Mute Chris Mansfield
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    Oct 30th 2012, 3:58 PM

    The equivalent changes for Android would surely be in Google?

    Some reports are saying that Forstall’s sacking is over the refusal to sign a letter apologizing for Apple Maps.

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    Mute Biggins31
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    Oct 30th 2012, 6:25 PM

    The Times (England) reports the same.
    He wouldn’t say “sorry” for the screw-ups – so they got rid of him.

    Not sure if he was right or wrong to take a stance but I don’t think he will be worrying about paying his next ESB bill.

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    Mute Brian Gartland
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    Oct 30th 2012, 2:33 PM

    Any date on ISo 6.1

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    Mute GoGo99
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    Oct 30th 2012, 4:15 PM

    No. Why we need 6.1? I think it’s working fine. Maps fix won’t require iOS update surely…?

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    Mute Brian Gartland
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    Oct 30th 2012, 4:36 PM

    As far as I know they are at the testing stage for 6.1 , seems to be a lot to fix from ISO 6, but was just worn ding did anyone hear a date for release

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    Mute Partysauras Rex
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    Oct 30th 2012, 4:37 PM

    GoGo99, it’s not working fine, I’ve never had as many bugs in an iOS release as I do 6, and as Maps is an intergral app to iOS, yes a fix will require an iOS update.

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    Mute GoGo99
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    Oct 30th 2012, 4:54 PM

    Ok Partysauras, I personally haven’t had any issues or bugs so far, neither has the other half. Are you holding yours right? Also as the maps are not actually “in the Phone”, but in the cloud I thought they could simply fix it as they go…

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    Mute Biggins31
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    Oct 30th 2012, 6:26 PM

    Aaa.. me old Slane and Duleek mate Brian!
    LOL Strange where we turn up! LOL

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    Mute Tertullian
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    Oct 30th 2012, 4:06 PM

    Tim Cook recruited Browett, former boss of Dixons, and gave him a $56 million “golden hello” for going to Apple. Cook at the time enthused about Browett’s commitment to customer service. Which was surprising given that Dixons never had a glowing reputation on the customer service front. So, just barely 6 months later he is given the boot as he clearly did not have a clue about the ethos of Apple. Instead, he started to sacrifice Apple’s deserved reputation as a great service provider in their shops in the interests of cost cutting (something that second rate CEOs on this side of the pond have adopted with dreary regularity over the years.) In fairness to Cook, he has recognised early on that he made a mistake and had hired someone without imagination, flair or interest in great customer service and got rid of him. Maybe this whole episode might cause some of our own CEOs to think again about closing shops and reducing staff numbers in favour of technology – it might all make sense on a spreadsheet but as Tim Cook knows you cannot beat one on one interaction with a human if you want to have a reputation for great customer service. AIB, Bank of Ireland, et al please note.

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    Mute William Bayle
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    Oct 30th 2012, 5:34 PM

    So he worked 6 month for 56 m $?? Not bad

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    Mute Paul Mallon
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    Oct 30th 2012, 2:53 PM

    “Forstall was also said to be leading the charge for Apple’s design to be skeuomorphic, which is a fancy way of saying making digital things look like their analog counterparts.”

    I hate that, drives me demented! Hopefully this means a change of direction for Apple, they’ll need to change if they want to keep up.

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    Mute Jim Jimmy
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    Oct 30th 2012, 3:00 PM

    Seriously excited to see the direction Ive takes. The man has taste.

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    Mute Paul Mallon
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    Oct 30th 2012, 3:35 PM

    If his software interface design skills are anything like his hardware design skills it should be interesting to say the least!! the new Google Nexus interfaces are stunning, skeuomorphic design is clunky at best.

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    Mute BlackQueen
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    Oct 30th 2012, 8:39 PM
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    Mute Paul Mallon
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    Oct 30th 2012, 8:55 PM

    @BlackQueen, seen that before all right, but you have a point, the hardware is more skeuomorphic than one might think :-D
    In any case, the macbook pro’s are slick laptops, much more so than the rest of their products, with the possible exception of the new imac, with which the comparison on that link is a stretch at best.
    Also, if you look at the whole of that Braun T1000 radio, then the comparison to the G5 or 2003 Mac Pro.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Braun_T1000CD.jpg

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_Mac_G5

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    Mute Paul Mallon
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    Oct 30th 2012, 8:59 PM

    … they’re not that similar either (somehow forgot to type that).

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    Mute M OFFICIAL
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    Oct 30th 2012, 10:16 PM

    Some major f-ups with the last iOS

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    Mute Simon Blake
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    Oct 30th 2012, 5:14 PM

    Nerds.

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    Mute Biggins31
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    Oct 30th 2012, 6:23 PM

    Say it loud – and say it proud!

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    Mute Dan Walsh
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    Oct 30th 2012, 8:19 PM

    I think Siri is pretty good.

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    Mute Brian Gartland
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    Oct 30th 2012, 7:15 PM

    Biggies31 you have me at a loss sir !

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    Mute Biggins31
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    Oct 30th 2012, 7:19 PM

    LOL
    Who did you be-friend on facebook in the last few days!?

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