It’s been a pretty strange year for Apple. The iPhone 16 had an awkward launch and numerous incomplete or completely broken software updates. But is it already time to quit? Some people seem to think so.
A few days ago, Apple’s chief human resources officer, Carol Surface, left the company after less than two years. This was no small role either. It was created specifically for Surface, and she reported directly to CEO Tim Cook. Surface helped separate Apple’s retail division from its human resources operations. According to reports, the company has decided to remove her from her position and terminate her employment.
Now, Apple insider Mark Garman of Bloomberg reports that Apple’s top recruiter has also left the company. Sjoerd Gehring has been with Apple for approximately six years, working in talent management, recruiting, administration, and immigration. Gehring’s decision to leave for Miami-based company Citadel may be in response to the firing of Carol Surface from her role at Apple.
Apple CFO Luca Maestri will also be leaving the company after more than 10 years. Tim Cook’s strategy to retain investors after Steve Jobs’ death appears to be coming to an end. The question then becomes, is he next in line?
The company has clearly lost its grip on quality assurance recently and is moving into other areas (Apple car and Vision Pro) also didn’t work very well. However, the company remains one of the largest companies in the world with a very loyal customer base. The question is, for how long?
Apple’s latest bet appears to be on robotics. Garman said the company is working on an iPad robot and plans to eventually develop a humanoid robot as well. And don’t forget, Apple is still interested in making something similar to Meta’s Orion AR glasses.
But even with a multibillion-dollar budget, I don’t think Apple can afford to keep stumbling around trying to figure out what sticks.
