Mike Rockwell, who has led the development of Siri at Apple since 2025, is reportedly considering stepping down or moving into an advisory role internally. The reason: dissatisfaction with the reporting structure. For incoming CEO John Ternus, retaining top talent will be one of his first challenges.
No sooner is Cook's move to Ternus official than the first personnel matter emerges that could prove a test for the new CEO. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that Mike Rockwell – the man who brought the Apple Vision Pro to market and is currently responsible for the Siri overhaul – is considering his future at Apple. Rockwell's departure would be a severe blow to Apple's AI strategy and the Siri comeback.
Specifically, Rockwell reportedly considered either leaving the company or moving into an advisory role. According to Bloomberg, the reason: reservations about his new boss, software chief Craig Federighi, who has overseen the entire Apple intelligence organization since John Giannandrea's departure. Rockwell also reportedly desired a larger role—one more in line with his original career path.
Who is Mike Rockwell?
Rockwell is a key figure in Apple's product development. He led the Apple Vision Pro project for over a decade, ensuring the device's release in 2024 despite enormous technological hurdles. While the Vision Pro's commercial performance has been rather disappointing, Rockwell is considered one of Apple's most capable hardware and systems engineers.
When Tim Cook lost faith in Apple's existing AI strategy in the spring of 2025, Rockwell was tasked with redeveloping Siri. The rationale was clear: whoever had brought Vision Pro to market should also be able to finally bring the Siri project, which had been stagnating for years, to a successful conclusion.
Apple: Why Rockwell is dissatisfied
The Bloomberg report reveals an interesting context: Rockwell was originally on a career path that could have led him to become Apple's Chief Technology Officer—the company's top product and AI strategist. This prospect was tied to the assumption that wearable devices like the Vision Pro and Apple Glasses would become a central building block of Apple's post-iPhone future.
Now, this outlook is unclear. Despite ten years of development and billions in investment, the Vision Pro hasn't sold as well as hoped due to its price and weight. While Apple continues to work on smart glasses and other wearables, the original "post-iPhone" master plan that made Rockwell a CTO candidate now seems less compelling.
Added to this is the new reporting structure: Rockwell now reports to Craig Federighi. On paper, Federighi is an experienced, respected executive – but he originally comes from the software sector, not hardware or AI. For someone with Rockwell's profile, this structure is likely to feel like a career step backward.
Why he will probably stay – at least for now
Despite reservations, Bloomberg considers it "unlikely" that Rockwell will leave the company before the Siri overhaul is complete. This makes sense: The new Siri is the most important prestige project of the coming months. A departure in the middle of the final development phase would be incomprehensible to everyone – both internally and externally. Moreover, Rockwell's legacy at Apple would then primarily be Vision Pro – a product that has received mixed reviews.
If the new Siri is unveiled at WWDC on June 8th and successfully rolled out with iOS 27 in the fall, Rockwell could indeed take a break or move into a different role. His departure would then be understandable – and his legacy at Apple would be significantly more complete.
The second name: Kate Bergeron
The Bloomberg report mentions a second personnel conflict. Kate Bergeron, Apple's Head of Product Integrity, had been considered internally as a possible head of hardware. However, Tom Marieb got the hardware engineering position instead – the manager who came to Apple from Intel in 2019 and now leads the hardware engineering organization under Johny Srouji.
Bergeron's frustration is palpable, according to the report. Whether this will lead to further personnel changes remains to be seen. But it shows that Srouji's five- area restructuring is not universally perceived as a fair distribution.
Ternus' first challenge: retaining top talent
For Ternus, all of this is an early sign: CEO changes almost always lead to movement at the management level. Some executives feel overlooked, others see fewer opportunities for advancement in the new constellation. Anyone who wants to lead in the long term must send the right signals in the first few months – and ensure that key people stay.
A departure from Rockwell after the Siri launch would be manageable, but painful. Apple has already experienced a series of high-profile departures in recent years – from Giannandrea to other AI managers and several hardware chiefs. The question Ternus must ask himself is: How does he prevent this trend from becoming a ripple effect?
Bloomberg's report serves as a wake-up call in this sense. The new CEO takes office with a clear mandate: to bring the products Cook initiated to market – and at the same time ensure that the people developing them remain at Apple in the years to come. (Image: Shutterstock / Mojahid_Mottakin)
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