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Apple SVP Bob Mansfield Leaving Exec Team; Will Work on 'Special Projects' Reporting to Tim Cook [Updated]

Sunday July 28, 2013 4:30 pm PDT by Jordan Golson
Bob MansfieldApple Senior Vice President Bob Mansfield has been removed from Apple's Leadership website in the past 24 hours with no explanation.

Update: According to AllThingsD:
“Bob is no longer going to be on Apple’s executive team, but will remain at Apple working on special projects reporting to Tim,” company spokesman Steve Dowling told AllThingsD.

He declined any further explanation, refusing to comment on the reasons behind Mansfield’s abrupt demotion or whether Apple plans to appoint a new SVP of technologies.
Mansfield is currently Senior Vice President of Technologies reporting directly to Tim Cook, a position he took last October, overseeing a group focused on innovation in wireless technology and semiconductors.

His page has been completely removed from Apple's website, though it is still visible on Google's cache.

Last year, Apple announced that Mansfield would be retiring, but several months later announced he would instead be staying at the company. Later, it leaked that Tim Cook had faced an "insurrection" after Mansfield announced his retirement, and Cook gave him an extremely generous benefits package.

At the time, it was reported that Mansfield had committed to stay at Apple through at least 2014, influenced in no small part by the departure of former iOS chief Scott Forstall.

Mansfield has been instrumental in Apple's success in recent years, overseeing the development of the very successful MacBook Air notebooks, as well as recent iPhone and iPad designs.

Tags: Tim Cook, Bob Mansfield
[ 222 comments ]


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Narrator Jack
80 months ago
If they can discontinue Bob Mansfield, they can discontinue previous iPhone models.
Rating: 22 Votes
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Pigumon
80 months ago
Fat Hands, Sharp Edges

NOW I get why the iPads' edges are so uncomfortable. This guy has fat hands, the sharp edges probably just squish in like a pillow. The edge discomfort probably never entered his mind. I have thin, large hands and those sharp edges are horrible to hold! I have to use a soft case on my iPad.

Get a thin guy in there to design an iPad EVERYONE can hold without discomfort. :D
Rating: 19 Votes
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kbt1020
80 months ago
Bob told Tim that his Safari is not snappy enough, and the rest is history.
Rating: 19 Votes
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HiRez
80 months ago
Well that's not good.
Rating: 11 Votes
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HMI
80 months ago

IT'S ALL DOWNHILL FROM HERE FOR :apple:!

..iOS 7.. Bob Mansfield leaving.. Scott Forstall fired.. Steve Jobs is no more :(


Don't worry.

If this boat sinks, then James Cameron will just make a movie about it, and your heart will go on!
Rating: 10 Votes
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carl0sian
80 months ago
i Think Bob saw those leaked pictures of the iPhone 5C and decided to call it quits....
Rating: 9 Votes
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rmwebs
80 months ago
"Should I stay or should I go" :p
Rating: 8 Votes
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thefourthpope
80 months ago
Whoa. Who's gonna look like Balmer at the keynotes?
Rating: 8 Votes
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Rend It
80 months ago
Keep in mind that this could simply be Apple preparing for Mansfield's departure in 2014.

Remove him from leadership role and keep him around long enough that he isn't privy to the latest plans. Then, he can be released into the wild without knowing too many strategic details.

They basically did the same thing with Forstall.
Rating: 8 Votes
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SeattleMoose
80 months ago
Translation...Bob is an engineer thru and thru and doesn't want to be burdened with the BS side of "management". He wants to play in the lab and DESIGN. He is more "Woz" than "SJ".

So glad to see that he is going to be given some rope to do just that.
Rating: 8 Votes

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