Apple consolidates hardware teams

Apple is pulling more of its device-making organization under Johny Srouji, extending an April management overhaul into a broader hardware reshuffle now reaching product design. Bloomberg reported on May 19 that Srouji, Apple’s new chief hardware officer, is shifting oversight of key hardware functions as part of an effort to speed work on future devices. The move follows Apple’s April 20 announcement that Srouji would take over both Hardware Engineering and Hardware Technologies, combining the groups previously split between him and John Ternus. Ternus, Apple said at the time, is due to become chief executive officer on Sept. 1. ### What exactly changed inside Apple’s hardware organization? Bloomberg reported that Srouji is reorganizing hardware development and shifting oversight of functions including product design. The report said the changes are being made this month and are intended to speed work on future devices. Apple had already disclosed on April 20 that Srouji’s remit had widened immediately to include Hardware Engineering as well as the hardware technologies organization he already led. (bloomberg.com) In Apple’s description, Hardware Engineering covers work “from product design to system engineering to reliability and durability testing,” while Hardware Technologies includes areas such as chips, batteries, cameras, displays, sensors and cellular modems. ### Why is Johny Srouji at the center of the reorganization? Apple named Srouji chief hardware officer on April 20 and described him as the executive who built its silicon and technology engineering teams. The company said he joined Apple in 2008 to lead development of the A4, its first in-house system-on-a-chip, and credited his organization with work across Apple silicon, batteries, cameras, storage controllers, sensors, displays and modems. (apple.com) Tim Cook said in Apple’s announcement that Srouji had played “a singular role” in driving the company’s silicon strategy. Incoming CEO John Ternus said he looked forward to continuing to work with Srouji “in our new roles.” ### How was the combined group supposed to work before this latest shake-up? Bloomberg reported on April 20 that the newly merged hardware organization would be arranged across five areas: hardware engineering, silicon, advanced technologies, platform architecture and project management. (apple.com) The report said Srouji disclosed that structure in an email to employees the same day he was elevated. That earlier structure mattered because it formally put chip development and device engineering inside one chain of command. Apple’s own announcement did not spell out those five divisions, but it confirmed that the two formerly separate organizations were now under one executive. ### Where does product design fit in? (bloomberg.com) Apple said in its April 20 statement that Hardware Engineering leads work ranging from product design through system engineering and testing. Bloomberg’s May 19 report said Srouji is now shifting oversight of product design specifically, indicating that the integration is moving beyond top-level reporting lines into day-to-day management of how devices are developed. (bloomberg.com) Bloomberg did not, in the material available publicly, detail every reporting change. But the report tied the latest adjustments directly to Apple’s effort to move faster on future products. ### How does this connect to Apple’s leadership transition? Apple said on April 20 that Ternus, the longtime hardware executive who previously oversaw Hardware Engineering, had been tapped to become chief executive. (apple.com) Bloomberg said Srouji took the chief hardware officer role as part of that broader leadership overhaul. Sept. 1 is the next fixed date in the transition. (bloomberg.com) Apple has already said Ternus will become CEO then, with Srouji running the combined hardware organization that now includes both engineering and technology teams. (apple.com)