Apple Music Gets New Co-Heads in Latest Leadership Shuffle

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Apple is making another round of leadership changes across two key divisions ahead of its earnings report on Thursday, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

apple park at night 1
The company's Apple Music division will now be co-managed by longtime Apple executive Rachel Newman and former TikTok music veteran Ole Obermann. Both will report to Oliver Schusser, who has taken on additional responsibilities over the past year including Apple TV+ and sports initiatives.

The restructuring appears designed to ease Schusser's workload as he continues to oversee the Beats brand and international services while reporting to Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of online services.

On the global affairs front, Apple is adjusting how it manages government relations teams worldwide. The heads of Europe and Asia will now report directly to Lisa Jackson, a former Obama administration official who reports to CEO Tim Cook. Previously, these teams reported to Nick Ammann, vice president of global policy.

Ammann, who still reports to Jackson, will now oversee the India and China government affairs teams. He'll also remain Apple's main liaison with the Trump administration, a role he held during Trump's first presidency.

The reshuffling follows other recent leadership adjustments at Apple, including changes to its retail division, and reorganizations of its Siri and robotics teams.

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Top Rated Comments

B
bluecoast
10 months ago
Does anyone senior at Apple use their services properly?

I mean with music, anything more than to play me the latest hits / album in x genre?’ (See also: Siri)

This is a serious question, as if I was in charge of Apple Music I think I’d notice quite quickly that it’s sub par.

Apple Music’s experience seems stuck around 2019 on iOS and around 2020 on the Mac.

Pros - their djs (if you like that sort of thing), classical app, dj mixes, lossless. Atmos I guess.

Cons: everything else is sub par compared to Spotify. Ux. music recommendations, navigation.

If you pay for Apple Music outside of a bundle you’re drinking the kool aid.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mrkevinfinnerty Avatar
Mrkevinfinnerty
10 months ago

Does anyone senior at Apple use their services properly?

I mean with music, anything more than to play me the latest hits / album in x genre?’ (See also: Siri)

This is a serious question, as if I was in charge of Apple Music I think I’d notice quite quickly that it’s sub par.

Apple Music’s experience seems stuck around 2019 on iOS and around 2020 on the Mac.

Pros - their djs (if you like that sort of thing), classical app, dj mixes, lossless. Atmos I guess.

Cons: everything else is sub par compared to Spotify. Ux. music recommendations, navigation.

If you pay for Apple Music outside of a bundle you’re drinking the kool aid.
A huge issue for Apple Music is there is far too much focus on 'content'. You only have to look who has been put in charge here. Rachel Newman former 'global head of content and editorial'

As you say the UX, recommendations engine etc are far behind Spotify. I see Zane Lowe's latest interview with Chappell Roan or whoever and I wonder who is actually watching it, are people watching that in the music app on their phone? The whole thing seems like a bit of a vanity project.

The software should be front an centre, it should be the star. People are much less concerned about editorial content from their streaming services, the market has shown that, Spotify are dominant and have very little by way of that kind of thing.

Spotify don't always get it right, the Tik Tok style feed was a mess, but you do at least feel like there are people working on the app. I get none of that from Apple Music when they do actually do something it feels like the Music division have been asked to contribute some bullet points to a slide at the WWDC keynote.

They aren't MTV or Pitchfork, they are a software service for listening to/discovering music. Prioritise making that great.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TechWhisperer Avatar
TechWhisperer
10 months ago
Same meat, different gravy isn't cutting it anymore. Apple needs fresh blood in its executive ranks, not just another reshuffle of the same familiar faces. Tim Cook has had a remarkable run, but his extended tenure is starting to feel like an inability to let go of the reins. The time has come for Cook to enjoy the fruits of his labor and step aside.

A new generation of executives with bold visions could reinvigorate Apple's product lines and services before the company's legacy of excellence fades further from memory.

Apple Music sucks!
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mrkevinfinnerty Avatar
Mrkevinfinnerty
10 months ago
Pound for pound one of the worst pieces of subscription software you will ever find. They should hire some decent product managers.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gsmornot Avatar
gsmornot
10 months ago
I feel like I am starting my day with complaints but I agree here, Music is not a great application. Sound quality is great, if you know what you want to listen to it's fine but, discovery and general layout is poor at best. I feel like I really struggle with it. I dont have CarPlay but have an iPad mini on a dash mount in the car. Trying to navigate music is just too hard unless I am sitting still. I realize it's not made for that but if it at least had radio selections or programed channels that were better I could live with those.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TwoBytes Avatar
TwoBytes
10 months ago
give me a playlist for all new releases for everyone in my library (not new music mix)
Also give me local concert listings for artists like Spotify
and lastly, recommendations that are actually relevant
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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