Apple's Head Of Communications To Depart The Company In November

According to Vox, Steve Dowling, Apple's Vice President of Communications, is departing the company after working for Cupertino for 16 years. Dowling notified his colleagues at Apple that he was planning to quit Apple in November. In the interim, Marketing chief Phil Schiller will take over Dowling. 

In a memo to staff, Dowling insitis that “it’s time” for him to step back from Apple, and interestingly though, he says that the decision to leave Apple came into sharp focus during the latest launch cycle:

After 16 years at Apple, countless keynotes, product launches and the occasional PR crisis, I've decided that the time is right for me to step away from our remarkable company. This is something that has been on my mind for a while, and it came into sharp focus during the latest -- and for me, last -- launch cycle. Your plans are set and the team is executing brilliantly as ever. So, it's time.

Phil will be managing the team on an interim basis starting today, and I'll be available through the end of October to help with the transition. After that, I plan to take a good, long stretch of time off before trying something new. At home I have a supportive, patient spouse in Petra and two beautiful children blossoming into their teen years. I'm looking forward to creating more memories with the three of them while I have the chance.

My loyalty to Apple and its people knows no bounds. Working with Tim and this team, accomplishing all we have done together, has been the highlight of my career. I want to thank you for your hard work, your patience and your friendship. And I wish you every success.

I will always bleed six colors.

Dowling

Dowling joined Apple in 2003 and has been in charge of the company's corporate public relations. However, in 2014, Dowling replaced Katie Cotton, the former head of Public Relations for Apple, who had left the company in that year. Since then, he has been managing Apple's public relations team.

Apple in response said that they are grateful for what Dowling has given to them. The iPhone maker is now looking for a new individual to guide the PR position, and it is said to consider both internal and external suitable candidates.