Dan Riccio, the veteran Apple executive who led the Vision Pro project, is retiring this month after 26 years at the company, according to a report Bloomberg. He leaves an enormous legacy and continues the trend of the progressive changing of the guard at the top of Apple over the last two decades.
Why is it important. His departure marks the end of an era at Apple, and a change in the leadership of a project as important in the long term for Apple as augmented reality and glasses or viewers.
Riccio has been key in the development of several iconic Apple products, and although it has been a gradual departure – in 2021 he moved to a less visible role – it is an important departure.
The context. Riccio was key in both the Jobs and Cook eras. In addition to leading the Vision Pro project, during his career he has been the supervisor of the development of iPhone, iPad and AirPods, marking the path for Apple but also defining the physical standards of their categories for the entire industry.
In 2021, as a prelude to his retirement, Riccio stepped down as Senior Vice President to lead the then enigmatic ‘Vision Products Group’.
The current situation. Riccio’s departure is one more part of the reorganization that Apple is making in its executive. John Ternus, the current head of hardware, will oversee the mixed reality development group. His influence at Apple continues to grow and he continues to gain momentum as a star candidate to succeed Tim Cook one day.
On the other hand, Mike Rockwell will continue to lead the day-to-day operations of the Vision Products Group, providing stability to this project.
behind the scenes. Riccio’s retirement is not a surprise. The 2021 transition to a less relevant position was already seen by those of us who follow the company closely as the first step towards a subsequent exit.
Riccio is known for a style that is somewhat more aggressive and direct than the average Apple board member, something colder and calmer, an extension of Cook’s leadership. He has not aroused as much consensus as Federighi or Ternus, and his decisions have sometimes been somewhat controversial.
- The Vision Pro were born marked by a spectacular technical display, but also by the external battery, overheating or a high Price.
- The Apple Car, the project for the development of an autonomous car, was an initiative led by Riccio. And it was canceled at the beginning of the year.
In perspective. This departure is in addition to that of several key executives who have been leaving the company, due to disagreements, wear and tear or simply due to retirement, during the last five years.
It’s a gradual exodus that reflects a generational change at Apple’s leadership and leaves even more open the question of what the next CEO will find. Riccio’s departure, in addition to representing the loss of a heavyweight, is also the loss of experience accumulated in the company for almost three decades that is difficult to replace.
Featured image | Apple
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