Apple has officially moved Siri development leadership from Eddy Cue, its Senior Vice President of Internet Software and Services, to Craig Federighi, who is the company’s Senior Vice President of Software Engineering.
As first noted by MacRumors, Apple has officially acknowledged this change via its Leadership webpage, with an updated bio page for Federighi now reading as follows:
Craig Federighi is Apple’s Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, reporting to CEO Tim Cook. Craig oversees the development of iOS, macOS and Siri.
Siri is no longer mentioned on Cue’s bio page, but the move was hardly unexpected.
Siri now relies heavily on machine learning and artificial intelligence, which are the default domains of the company’s software boss, Federighi.
More importantly, Cue already has a lot of things on his plate.
He’s charged with overseeing Apple’s content stores and Apple Music, as well as Apple Pay, Maps, App Store Search Ads, iCloud services and the iLife and iWork suites.
As if that weren’t enough, he also leads the newly created team responsible for developing all aspects of Apple’s worldwide video programming although that’s something that should soon become the main responsibility of former Sony Pictures Television veterans Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg, whom Apple recently hired to lead its re-newed Hollywood push.
Tasking Federighi with advancing Siri development makes even more sense considering his primary domains at Apple include all software-related things, from iOS and macOS to the user interface, applications and frameworks.
Cue was also responsible for managing App Store since its inception until December 2015, when Apple shifted that responsibility over to Phil Schiller, the company’s Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing and the steward of its relationship with developers.
On a related note, the Apple Leadership webpage was also refreshed to acknowledge Deirdre O’Brien and Isabel Ge Mahe‘s new roles at the Cupertino firm.
Here’s O’Brien’s bio page:
Deirdre O’Brien is Apple’s Vice President of People, reporting to CEO Tim Cook.
Deirdre and her team are responsible for creating and maintaining Apple’s unique culture which enables employees to do the best work of their lives. Leading all HR functions including talent development and analytics, recruiting, benefits, compensation and business support; Deirdre will also oversee Apple University.
Since joining Apple in 1988, Deirdre has played a key role in many of Apple’s product introductions. Most recently, she led the Worldwide Sales and Operations Support team responsible for demand forecasting, supply planning and delivery of Apple products to customers. Her team also supported many key sales initiatives, working closely with all of Apple’s sales channels, Apple stores and resellers.
Deirdre holds a bachelor’s degree in Operations Management from Michigan State University and an MBA from San Jose State University.
And this is Ge Mahe’s new profile:
Isabel Ge Mahe is Apple’s Vice President and Managing Director of Greater China, reporting to CEO Tim Cook and COO Jeff Williams. Isabel provides leadership and coordination across Apple’s China-based team.
Isabel joined Apple in 2008 as Vice President of Wireless Technologies, overseeing the development of cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, location and motion technologies for nearly every Apple product. She also played a key role in developing new China-specific features for iPhone and iPad.
Before joining Apple, Isabel served as Vice President of Wireless Software Engineering at Palm and held key technical and managerial positions at other wireless companies.
Isabel holds Bachelor and Master of Electrical Engineering degrees from Simon Fraser University in British Columbia and an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley.
Back in July, Apple said that it named Vice President of Wireless Technologies, Isabel Ge Mahe, its new Vice President and Managing Director of Greater China.
A few days later, the company announced the creation of a new role—Vice President of People—headed by Deirdre O’Brien, its Vice President of Worldwide Sales and Operations.
Both women started in their new role on September 1.