Apple has announced a major shake-up of its management, with two senior executives to leave the company, and follows embarrassing problems with its new mapping software and disappointing quarterly results.
Scott Forstall, who has been with the company since 1997 and is head of its iOS software, will leave next year, and 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 and, as part of that change, Sir Jonathan Ive, who runs the team designing Apple’s hardware, will also oversee the human interface software team.
The company faced criticism after its new mapping software proved to be a bit inaccurate and even managed to misplace some towns and cities.
Apple’s fourth quarter profits of a mere $8.2 billion missed Wall Street forecasts and the 14 million iPads it sold in the quarter fell short of expectations.