Phil Schiller, Apple Fellow
6 Facebook x .com Reddit
Phil Schiller – Apple's biggest ecosystem advocate, Apple Fellow profile – states, and the executive publicly beats the drum to support co-founder Steve Jobs' vision.
Apple's many regulatory and legal problems with the App Store, including a long-running battle with Epic Games and having to deal with the EU Digital Markets Act, have often forced the company to defend its policies and practices. At the forefront of this process was Phil Schiller, who has been described as a longtime advocate for the ecosystem.
A Wall Street Journal profile Wednesday described Schiller as delivering the message that Apple won't back down on issues like ecosystem control and fees.
“I have no hesitation in saying that our goal will always be to make the App Store the safest and best place for users to get apps,” Schiller was quoted as saying in a recent interview. “I think users—and the entire developer ecosystem—have benefited from the work we've done with them. And we're going to continue to do that.”
Schiller's role in defending Apple's App Store practices includes serving as a key witness for the company during its 2021 trial with Epic Games. He insisted in court that Apple invested in the store, avoided charging for certain types of apps and tried to make the storefront as fair as possible.
He also hit back at Epic Games over the EU Digital Markets Act, with one email published in February accusing Epic of failing to follow new rules that implemented those rules. Schiller also insists that third-party app stores that would be allowed by DMA could expose users to inappropriate content, as well as security risks that Apple has sought to minimize.
Steve Jobs Mini Me
Part of Schiller's App Store protections disabled due to his early involvement in that. He was an early proponent of allowing third-party apps to be included in the store and was one of the executives who convinced Steve Jobs that it could be viable if it used a review process to monitor the software.
Phil Schiller carries the torch of Steve Jobs' vision
After Jobs' passing in 2011, Schiller tried to preserve the former CEO's philosophy, sometimes reflecting Jobs' competitiveness and tendency to neglect competitors firms. Inside, Apple employees compared him to Jobs' “mini-me.”
“Of those still working at Apple, he is one of the few who still carries the torch of Steve Jobs' vision,” says Apple analyst Tim Bajarin, who has known Schiller for years.
Schiller, who says he still works nearly 80 hours a week, continues his legacy at Apple. After being involved in the development and marketing of many of Apple's major products, he became part of the company's history and is still deeply involved in his nebulous title of Apple Fellow.
Even now, it appears that Schiller will continue to be a strong defender of Apple and its App Store.
“When it comes to these issues, he becomes a brick wall,” said Philip Shoemaker, who led the App Store Review group under Schiller until 2016. “I just don't think he'll ever go away.”
