At the heart of Apple’s ecosystem, one man in particular works tirelessly to preserve the vision for mobile’s most prolific app store. Phil Schillerone of the Bitten Apple’s longtime managers, passes nearly 80 hours a week in his role as App Store supervisora commitment that reflects the crucial importance of this platform for the Cupertino company.
A new article in the Wall Street Journal revealed this peculiar characteristic of Schiller. The Apple executive went from marketing manager to “Apple Fellow” in 2020, precisely to dedicate more time to his personal interests. However, his responsibilities in shaping the future of the App Store have pushed him to maintain a frenetic pace, quickly responding to emails and calls regardless of the time of day.
Phil Schiller dedicates nearly 80 hours a week to advancing Apple’s vision
His dedication was evident, according to the report, during the Epic vs Apple legal trial, where he ardently defended the App Store, underlining its importance to the security of the Apple ecosystem. Schiller has also been at the forefront of managing Apple’s public relations with European media, explaining the potential impact of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) on the privacy and security of users on the continent.
A crucial episode highlighted its key role: when Apple closed Epic Games’ developer account to prevent it from creating an alternative app marketplace, It was Schiller who sent an email to Epic’s CEO, Tim Sweeney, in which he indicated that the closure was linked to Epic’s criticism of Apple’s compliance with the DMA. A misstep that led the European Commission to intervene, forcing Apple to revoke the decision. Even Tim Cookthe CEO of Apple, relies on Schiller for matters related to the App Store, a clear sign of his influence and judgment within the company.
After all, Phil Schiller has been at Apple since 1987, with a short break from 1993 to 1997, which ended with Steve Jobs returning to the helm. Schiller was instrumental in some of Apple’s most important product launches, developing marketing strategies for various devices such as the iPod and Mac. He was also one of main supporters of the introduction of third-party apps on iPhonegoing against Jobs’ own vision and ultimately convincing him to launch the App Store in 2008.
Schiller kept the Apple co-founder’s philosophy alive even after his death and, under his supervision, Human review of apps remained a key part of the App Store, with the platform becoming a significant source of revenue for Apple over time. As the App Store faces regulatory challenges and pressure to open up to competition, then, Phil Schiller remains a custodian of Apple’s app ecosystem. His dedication and deep understanding of the company’s historical vision make him a key figure in determining the future of the App Store and the Apple user experience as a whole.
