What’s Really Happening Inside Apple as Leadership Upheaval Raises Questions
For decades, Apple built its reputation on a near-flawless run of design-led, culture-defining devices that shaped the modern tech landscape. But the company long viewed as a model of stability is now entering a rare period of turbulence — just as the wider industry undergoes a major shift.
Within a single week, Apple disclosed the departures of several senior executives. Meta has poached one of its leading designers. And speculation continues to swirl around whether Tim Cook may be preparing to step down as chief executive.
The shakeup has arrived at an awkward moment. Critics argue Apple, once an unrivalled innovator, is now lagging in the next major frontier: artificial intelligence. Any leadership transition at one of the world’s most valuable tech companies could reshape how it conceives, develops and delivers products used by billions.
“We’re heading into a period of heightened volatility for Apple,” said Robert Siegel, a veteran venture capitalist and Stanford Graduate School of Business lecturer. Apple shares are up 12% this year — well below their 30% rise in 2024.
Apple declined to comment.
Who’s Leaving — And Why It Matters
This week, Apple confirmed several planned departures:
- Lisa Jackson, vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives, will retire next year.
- Kate Adams, general counsel, will also retire in 2025.
- Alan Dye, vice president of human interface design, is leaving to become Meta’s chief design officer.
- John Giannandrea, senior vice president overseeing machine learning and AI strategy, is set to retire next year.
The company has appointed Meta’s chief legal officer Jennifer Newstead as its incoming general counsel, while Apple’s environmental and social initiatives will now report to chief operating officer Sabih Khan.
Amar Subramanya, previously Microsoft’s corporate vice president of AI, will become Apple’s new vice president of AI.
Earlier this year, longtime operations chief Jeff Williams also stepped back.
“This is atypical for Apple’s culture — but necessary,” said Dan Ives, global tech analyst at Wedbush Securities. “The AI strategy has been invisible. How Cook navigates this moment will define his legacy.”
A Future in Question: AI, Delays and Competitive Pressure
The departures come as concerns mount over Apple’s slow progress in artificial intelligence. A major upgrade to Siri — meant to bring it closer in capability to OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini — has been delayed until next year. The revamp is expected to transform Siri from a simple question-and-answer tool into an assistant capable of taking actions, using personalised data and interacting more intelligently across Apple devices.
For now, AI updates across iPhones, Macs and iPads have been incremental.
The Vision Pro headset — Apple’s first new product category since the Apple Watch a decade ago — remains a niche device with limited mainstream adoption.
Meanwhile, rivals are accelerating. Meta, Google, Samsung and OpenAI have all unveiled major AI-powered products in recent months, from Meta’s new Ray-Ban Display glasses to Google and Samsung’s Gemini-driven headset and OpenAI’s push into shopping and web browsing tools. Google’s Gemini 3 model, launched in November, has further intensified competition.
Alan Dye’s move to Meta is “a more direct competitive threat to Apple” than the other departures, said Joe Tigay, portfolio manager at the Rational Equity Armor Fund.
The iPhone Remains Apple’s Powerhouse
Despite the pressure, Apple retains enormous strength where it matters most.
Sales of the iPhone 17 have been robust, with demand expected to climb further next year. Analysts project Apple will overtake Samsung in smartphone shipments for the first time since 2011, according to Counterpoint Research.
Apple also remains one of only three companies — alongside Nvidia and Microsoft — to have exceeded a $4 trillion market valuation.
And change, some argue, may be timely. As industries undergo technological transitions, refreshing leadership can help a company break out of entrenched thinking. “New hires or internal promotions can bring a different perspective,” said Siegel.
