October 29, 2012: Scott Forstall, Apple’s senior vp of iOS software program, is ousted from the corporate after the disastrous Apple Maps launch.
Apple divvies up the roles beforehand dealt with by Forstall, who as soon as appeared on a path to the highest, amongst different high-level execs. Jony Ive assumes management of the Human Interface workforce. Craig Federighi turns into head of iOS software program. Eddy Cue takes management of Maps and Siri. And Bob Mansfield “unretires” to steer a brand new expertise group.
Scott Forstall and his rise at Apple
Forstall’s departure triggered one of many largest government shakeups at Apple since Steve Jobs’ return in 1997. An formidable younger worker, Forstall shortly rose via the ranks in Cupertino. As he amassed energy behind the scenes, he additionally started showing extra often at Apple occasions.
Forstall labored for Jobs his total profession. He had been employed at NeXT, the corporate Jobs based throughout his wilderness years exterior Apple, straight out of Stanford College. With a grasp’s diploma in laptop science, Forstall labored on the NeXTStep working system.
He joined Apple together with quite a few senior staffers when the corporate purchased NeXT in 1996, an acquisition that introduced Jobs again to Apple. Jobs instantly put Forstall in control of designing consumer interfaces for the brand new, improved Mac line. His huge contribution? The liquid-inspired Aqua consumer interface, which included design parts like translucent icons and reflections.
Forstall then took cost of OS X, which was primarily based on NeXTStep expertise, earlier than turning into one of many main figures in iOS growth. In late 2011, he obtained onstage on the iPhone 4s keynote to exhibit Siri for the primary time.
The start of the top for a rising star
Forstall modeled himself on Jobs, even driving the identical kind of silver Mercedes coupe as Apple’s iconic co-founder. He additionally exhibited excessive consideration to element and an analogous kind of charisma. (Forstall was extra assured than many tech sorts, having been a toddler actor.) As proof of the previous, he saved a jeweler’s loupe in his workplace, permitting him to look at every pixel on a consumer interface intimately.
Exterior Apple, some individuals assumed Forstall might ultimately turn into CEO of the corporate. However after Jobs’ passing, Forstall appeared to lose momentum inside Cupertino’s halls. One doable purpose? An influence wrestle with Ive, in all probability Apple’s most valued human asset after Jobs. Particularly, Ive and Forstall clashed over skeuomorphism, which Forstall beloved and Ive hated.
New CEO Tim Prepare dinner additionally most popular a extra harmonious environment inside Apple than Jobs ever did. Whereas Jobs favored robust personalities who clashed, Prepare dinner reportedly doesn’t.
Apple Maps launch results in Forstall’s ouster
The inciting incident that resulted in Forstall’s firing was Apple’s disastrous Apple Maps software program. Most likely Apple’s most notable software program failure of all time, the app proved buggy and undeveloped in comparison with its rivals.
Along with that, iOS 6 featured a clock app that illegally borrowed a Swiss railway design, leading to Apple paying out $20 million.
With Maps garnering Apple loads of dangerous press, an settlement was made to write down a proper apology letter — which Forstall refused to signal. This transfer supposedly satisfied Prepare dinner that Forstall ought to go.
Scott Forstall after Apple
After leaving Apple, Forstall remained largely off the radar — aside from co-producing a Broadway play and advising Snapchat. In Might 2015, he made one among his few public feedback about Apple to The Wall Road Journal, saying he was “delighted” that Cupertino nonetheless makes nice merchandise.
In 2017, Forstall additionally gave a number of interviews to mark the tenth anniversary of the iPhone launch.
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