Apple Vice President Matt Fischer, who has led the App Store since 2010, will reportedly leave the company in October as part of its restructuring.
Fischer is taking the step as part of a reorganization in response to changing global regulations, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday (August 21), citing unnamed sources.
Apple did not immediately respond to PYMNTS’ request for comment.
As part of the company’s restructuring, the App Store will be split into two teams, according to the report. One team, led by Senior Director Carson Oliver, will oversee Apple’s own App Store. The other team, led by Director Ann Thai, will focus on distributing alternative apps.
“This has been on my mind for some time and as we reorganize the team to better address new challenges and opportunities, now is the right time to pass the baton to two outstanding leaders on my team,” Fischer said in an email to his team on Wednesday, according to the report.
Apple is facing demands from international regulators to allow alternative app stores and payment methods on the iPhone, the report says.
New laws in Europe have redrawn the competitive landscape, giving Epic a beachhead in that market to challenge Apple’s App Store practices, PYMNTS reported Friday (Aug. 16). That battle is actively being waged in Europe, with players arguing over the same concerns about App Store builds, in-app payments and commissions that have been raised in the U.S.
Additionally, Spotify said in an updated blog post on August 14 that it had received Apple’s approval to display pricing information for users from the European Union in its iOS app. Spotify explained in the post that it was taking advantage of Apple’s “authorization” for music streaming services, which was created following the European Commission’s landmark antitrust ruling against the tech giant in March.
On August 8, Apple said in an announcement that it was changing its plan to comply with the Digital Markets Act in response to allegations by the European Commission that the company was stifling competition in its App Store. One of the key changes is that developers will be able to promote offers for purchases available in a location of their choosing, including another app marketplace, app, or website.
