Apple's Phil Schiller Works 80 Hours a Week Overseeing App Store

With the App Store and app ecosystem undergoing major changes in the European Union, The Wall Street Journal today shared a profile on ‌App Store‌ chief Phil Schiller, who is responsible for the ‌App Store‌.

Phil Schiller
Though Schiller transitioned from marketing chief to "Apple Fellow" in 2020 to take a step back from Apple and spend more time on personal projects and friends, he is reportedly working close to 80 hours a week.

Schiller is known for responding to emails almost immediately, and answering phone calls at all hours. He testified during the Epic v. Apple lawsuit to ardently defend the ‌App Store‌, and he is involved in Apple's EU messaging as well. Schiller joined in on Apple PR calls with members of the media when the iOS 17.4 changes were announced, and he spent time explaining how the DMA will impact user privacy and security in Europe.

When Apple terminated the Epic Games developer account in March to prevent it from creating an alternate app marketplace, it was Schiller who sent an email to Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney to suggest that the account had been shut down because of Epic's criticism of Apple's DMA compliance. Schiller's email did not go over well with the European Commission, and Apple ultimately reversed its decision.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple CEO Tim Cook defers to Schiller when it comes to ‌App Store‌ matters. Schiller joined Apple back in 1987, left in 1993, and returned in 1997 when Steve Jobs came back to Apple. He has been at the forefront of some of Apple's biggest product launches, developing marketing strategies for everything from the iPod to the Mac.

He was one of the main supporters of adding third-party apps to the iPhone, working to convince Jobs to launch the ‌App Store‌ in 2008. Known as a Jobs "mini-me," Schiller has reportedly kept Jobs' philosophy alive at Apple. Under his watch, human review has remained a key part of the ‌App Store‌, and the ‌App Store‌ has grown into a major revenue stream for Apple.

More on Schiller can be read in The Wall Street Journal's full profile.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro 3 4ths Perspective Aluminum Camera Module 1

New iPhone 17 Pro Details: Brighter Display, Best Battery Life, and More

Wednesday September 3, 2025 5:33 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models will feature a number of significant display, thermal, and battery improvements, according to new late-stage rumors. According to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital," the iPhone 17 Pro models will feature displays with higher brightness, making it more suitable for use in direct sunlight for prolonged periods. The iPhone 16 Pro and...
iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Prices Estimated Ahead of Apple Event Next Week

Tuesday September 2, 2025 1:50 pm PDT by
Just one week before Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series, an analyst has shared new price estimates for the devices. Here are J.P. Morgan analyst Samik Chatterjee's price estimates for the iPhone 17 series in the United States, according to 9to5Mac: Model Starting Price Model Starting Price Change iPhone 16 $799 iPhone 17 ...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Complications

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Coming Next Week: Eight Reasons to Upgrade

Thursday September 4, 2025 7:38 am PDT by
We're only days away from Apple's "Awe dropping" fall event scheduled to take place on Tuesday, September 9 – and along with the new iPhone 17 series, we're going to get a new version of the Apple Watch Ultra for the first time since 2023. By the time the Ultra 3 is unveiled, it will have been two years since the previous model arrived. The intervening period has left plenty of room for...
iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 Pro Clear Case Leak Reveals Three Key Changes

Sunday August 31, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series on Tuesday, September 9, and last-minute rumors about the devices continue to surface. The latest info comes from a leaker known as Majin Bu, who has shared alleged images of Apple's Clear Case for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, or at least replicas. Image Credit: @MajinBuOfficial The images show three alleged changes compared to Apple's iP...
iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

iPhone 17 Release Date, Pre-Orders, and What to Expect

Thursday August 28, 2025 4:08 am PDT by
An iPhone 17 announcement is a dead cert for September 2025 – Apple has already sent out invites for an "Awe dropping" event on Tuesday, September 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The timing follows Apple's trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall. At the event, Apple is expected to unveil its new-generation iPhone 17, an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17...
iPhone 17 AIR Loud Feature

iPhone 17 Air Could Start at $1,099 With 256GB Storage, 1TB for $1,499

Thursday September 4, 2025 2:54 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Air will have a $1,099 starting price providing 256GB of base storage and will max out at $1,499 with a 1TB option, according to the latest TrendForce report. Apple will offer three price/storage tiers for the all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model, which replaces last year's iPhone 16 Plus in the lineup. Here's how TrendForce sees them breaking down: 256GB — $1099...

Top Rated Comments

haydn! Avatar
19 months ago

ok, feel about him however suits you ... for a person in that position and compensation, he should be working 80hr weeks ...
No-one should be working 80+ hours a week. Regardless of position or compensation. Its 2024, not 1824.

Don't feel sorry for him though. He's clearly a control freak if he can't trust the thousands working for him to do the right thing without him overseeing everything.
Score: 53 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dmr727 Avatar
19 months ago
My wife worked 80+ weeks for 5 years. After watching her suffer through that, there is *no* amount of money that'd make me do the same.
Score: 51 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacTwick Avatar
19 months ago
"in 2020 to take a step back from Apple and spend more time on personal projects and friends, he is reportedly working close to 80 hours a week."

How many hours was he working before ?!
Score: 44 Votes (Like | Disagree)
blazerunner Avatar
19 months ago

ok, feel about him however suits you ... for a person in that position and compensation, he should be working 80hr weeks ...
He's still overpaid.
Score: 42 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Fuzzball84 Avatar
19 months ago
I thought we had got to the point where we realise that quality over quantity is better every time. One of my workplaces had to send out warnings to people who were doing too many hours... because some people took it to the extreme and ended up having car accidents. It was absolutely serious.

I'm pretty sure numerous studies have shown that there is an optimum number of hours for peak efficiency and performance. You end up getting to the point of diminishing returns and actually making serious mistakes.

It is also key to be able to switch off... that means no reading emails at 3:20 AM, no sending texts at 1:40 AM or taking calls at 6:00 to 7:00 AM while you're trying to have breakfast etc
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jz0309 Avatar
19 months ago

He's still overpaid.
that could be said for a whole lot of executives at public and private companies ...
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)