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Compiled by Chen Junda

Editor | Panken

According to a report by well-known Apple whistleblower Mark Gurman on August 22, Apple will make major adjustments to its App Store business.Managed App Store business for 14 yearsApple Vice PresidentMatt FischerWill leave in October this year.The App Store team will be split into two departments.

The two departments after the split will be responsible forApple's own app storeandThird-party application distribution channelsThe two new heads are both senior executives from the original App Store team.

App Store is one of Apple's most profitable businesses, bringing Apple$20 billion in profitsThe gross profit margin of its software service business has remained stable atAbout 70%, which is nearly twice the gross profit of Apple's hardware. Against the backdrop of stagnant hardware sales growth, this business is particularly important to Apple.

Apple's adjustments to its App Store business may be due to growing regulatory pressure.In March this year, Apple received a sky-high fine of 1.84 billion euros for the monopolistic behavior of the App Store in the European Union. It also had to revise the relevant regulations of the App Store several times and relax restrictions on third-party application stores and payment methods.

1. 21-year veteran leaves, App Store business reorganized

Fisher joined Apple in 2003 and was mainly involved in the iTunes business. Since 2010, he has served as Apple's vice president, responsible for the global App Store business.

The decision to adjust this business was made by the company that is ultimately responsible for the App Store business.Apple Fellow Phil SchillerSchiller joined Apple in 1987 and served as Apple's chief marketing officer. After being promoted to Apple Fellow in 2020, he was responsible for the App Store and Apple Events business and reported directly to Apple CEO Cook.

After the adjustment, Fisher, who has managed the App Store business for 14 years, willLeaving Apple in OctoberThe App Store team will be split into two teams, one responsible for overseeing Apple’s own App Store and the other responsible for managing third-party application distribution channels.

Fisher officially announced the news to the team in an email on Wednesday. He wrote: "After 21 years at Apple, I have decided to leave this outstanding company. This is something I have been thinking about for some time, and we are also restructuring the team to better meet new challenges and opportunities. Now is the best time to pass the baton to the two outstanding leaders of the team."

▲Fischer's resignation letter (Source: LinkedIn)

Long-time senior directorCarson OliverThe director of App Store features such as search and discovery will be responsible for the operations of the App Store team.Ann ThaiWill lead the new team responsible for third-party application distribution channels. Both will report to Schiller.

▲Carlson Oliver on the left and Anne Tai on the right (Source: LinkedIn)

An Apple spokesman declined to comment.

2. Regulatory pressure increases, Apple is forced to adjust

The App Store is one of Apple's most profitable business segments.In 2022 alone, sales and payments in the App Store ecosystem willOver $1 trillion。

Apple says90%The App Store is free of charge, and they will take a commission of 15% (for developers with annual revenue of less than $1 million) or 30% (for developers with annual revenue of more than $1 million) from the remaining payment and sales amount. Gurman said that as part of Apple's software services division, the App Store business can generate about $20 billion in revenue each year.

Apple's financial report shows that the gross profit margin of the software service department has remained atAbout 70%，It is Apple's business with the highest gross profit margin, and the App Store is the most important segment. In recent years, as the growth of major hardware products including the iPhone has stagnated,Services have become particularly important to Apple.

In the past few years, Apple's business has been facing challenges from developers and regulators. This adjustment may be to further respond to related issues. Music software Spotify and game development company Epic Games have both gone to court with Apple over the "Apple tax."

At the beginning of 2024, under the regulatory pressure of the European Union, Apple significantly adjusted its commission ratio in EU countries and charged10%-17%They also began to allow users toDownload apps directly from third-party app stores and developer websites。

▲Spotify sued Apple for anti-competitive behavior

In March 2024, Apple received a 1.84 billion euro fine from the European Union for App Store monopoly. However, the EU was still dissatisfied with Apple's adjustments. They found that Apple would restrict third-party payment channels.Disguised commission, the extraction ratio is from12%-27%Not waiting.

In August this year, Apple had to revise its App Store rules in the European Union again, further relaxing restrictions on third-party payments.

Conclusion: App Store faces global challenges and may usher in more variables

Apple's App Store business is facing unprecedented challenges. In May this year, Fisher attended the lawsuit with Epic Games as a witness. In August this year, Apple was reported to be negotiating with Tencent on third-party payment. Meta founder and CEO Zuckerberg has also publicly complained about the Apple ecosystem represented by the App Store many times recently.

Fisher began managing the App Store shortly after its launch and developed it into one of Apple's core businesses. Currently, software services are another ballast for Apple in addition to hardware. Fisher's departure may be a precursor to Apple's further adjustments to the App Store.