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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Apple today announced that current Apple hardware engineering SVP Dan Riccio is transitioning to a new role where he will focus on an unspecified project, with John Ternus set to take over as Apple's senior vice president of hardware engineering.

apple-dan-riccio.jpg

In a statement, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that Riccio made Apple a better and more innovative company, and that Ternus will bring a deep expertise and breadth of experience to the Hardware Engineering teams.
"Every innovation Dan has helped Apple bring to life has made us a better and more innovative company, and we're thrilled that he'll continue to be part of the team," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "John's deep expertise and wide breadth of experience make him a bold and visionary leader of our Hardware Engineering teams. I want to congratulate them both on these exciting new steps, and I'm looking forward to many more innovations they'll help bring to the world."
There is no word on what project Riccio will be working on, but Apple has an Apple Car and various augmented reality and virtual reality devices in the works. The Apple Car project was recently taken over by Apple AI chief John Giannandrea, so Riccio's role is a mystery.

Going forward, Riccio will be a vice president of engineering, which seems to be a title downgrade, so it's possible that he is aiming to take a step back from Apple. Riccio has been with Apple since 1998, when he joined the product design team.

Riccio became vice president of iPad Hardware Engineering in 2010, and in 2012, took over the Hardware Engineering team. Apple says that Riccio will "continue to play an instrumental role in shaping the future of Apple's products."

In a statement, Riccio said that working at Apple has been "the opportunity of a lifetime" and that it is now the right time for a change.
"Working at Apple has been the opportunity of a lifetime, spent making the world's best products with the most talented people you could imagine," said Riccio. "After 23 years of leading our Product Design or Hardware Engineering teams -- culminating with our biggest and most ambitious product year ever -- it's the right time for a change. Next up, I'm looking forward to doing what I love most -- focusing all my time and energy at Apple on creating something new and wonderful that I couldn't be more excited about."
John Ternus initially joined Apple as part of the Product Design team in 2001, and in 2013 took on a role as vice president of Hardware Engineering. He has overseen the launch of products that include the first-generation AirPods, every iPad, and the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro.



Article Link: Dan Riccio Transitioning to New Project, John Ternus to Lead Apple's Hardware Engineering Team
 
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Nicky G

macrumors 65816
Mar 24, 2002
1,146
1,282
Baltimore
It seems like it could be the car or glasses (as others have said), but you never know -- there could well be some other skunkworks programs going on at Apple. I do hope this helps perfect and accelerate the AR/VR efforts. The rumors indicating it being 2 different products, at least initially, seem to be getting more validation. I'm not sure it's a good approach, unless the first release is more of a "developer's kit" than a whole different product fork than the lighter-weight AR glasses iPhone accessory. I feel like Apple needs to settle in on something and make it killer, versus fragmenting the lineup.
 

mcfrazieriv

macrumors 65816
Jan 30, 2012
1,100
2,830
Please stop circulating horrific looking mock ups of whatever you'd consider this to be! Big name stupid media companies keep lurking on these forums and eventually repost them as if it's really news and eventually that finds it's way to car forums and blogs.

If ANYONE came out with a vehicle that looked like this mock up, they would go OUT OF BUSINESS. ITS WORSE than a Buick!!!!!!!!!!
 

ksec

macrumors 68020
Dec 23, 2015
2,204
2,544
Either he is retiring, or as I put it

I am expecting some Mac SVP personnel changes related announcement soon. I mean some of these Mac's directional changes is something else entirely. Some new management must have taken helm [1].

Part of me think a lot of these old guards really wanted to push their dream design. Much like Ive with iPhone being a single piece of Glass. But the market and the workflow / technology just isn't ready. And their time is running out.

Without Steve's RDF in place, I guess most sane people would simply burn out inside Apple. Tim Cook isn't exactly the man to cheer everyone up.

I also wanted to note Apple has a habit of doing this. There is no need to announce a SVP moving to new project, this is just PR speaks. Just like Jony Ive and Phill Schiller. Most likely because Apple needed to pull up younger generation in charge and part of succession planning. Even Tim Cook is 60, Dan Riccio is 55.

[1] https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...acklight-repair-program.2280743/post-29516302
 
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