App Store VP Departs As Apple Prepares Organizational Changes

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman (paywalled), App Store vice president Matt Fischer is departing the company in October as Apple prepares for organizational changes in response to regulatory pressure. MacRumors reports: Apple plans to split its App Store group into two teams, one that handles the App Store and a second team that oversees alternative app distribution. As of earlier this year, Apple has supported iOS app downloads from alternative app stores and from websites in the European Union, a change that the company had to make to comply with the Digital Markets Act. To handle ongoing compliance with EU regulations for app distribution and alternative payment methods, App Store chief Phil Schiller is changing the App Store's hierarchy.

Fischer joined Apple in 2003 to oversee iTunes marketing, but he has served as the vice president of the App Store since 2010. In an email to Apple employees today, Fischer said that he had been thinking about leaving Apple for some time, and the reorganization provided the right opportunity. With Fischer leaving, App Store senior director Carson Oliver will oversee the App Store, and Ann Thai, a director who oversees App Store features, will head up the team that handles alternative app distribution.

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