Apple is undergoing changes as the former head of the Hardware Engineering team, Dan Riccio, currently serving as Vice President of Engineering, announces his retirement. Riccio, a significant figure within Apple for 26 years, has played a key role in the development of iconic products such as the iPad mini and the iPhone X. He is also credited with the acquisition of Touch ID and Face ID technologies.

His tenure at Apple is marked by both notable successes and occasional setbacks. Among his successes are his direct contributions to the creation of Apple’s most iconic products, particularly smartphones and tablets, as well as the transition from Intel to Apple Silicon chips. However, his involvement in projects such as speakers, and notably the Apple Car, has seen less success, with the latter project officially being abandoned.

Over the past three years, Dan Riccio has overseen Apple’s Vision Pro division, with his previous role assumed by John Ternus. In January 2021, Apple announced that Riccio would transition to a new project reporting directly to CEO Tim Cook. That project was later revealed to be the development of an augmented reality headset. Mark Gurman of Bloomberg speculates on the future of the Vision Pro group following his departure. With Riccio stepping down, it is anticipated that Vice President Mike Rockwell may lead the team, reporting directly to John Ternus, who replaced Riccio as head of the hardware team. Alternatively, Jeff Williams, now freed from responsibilities related to the Apple Car project, may also take on a more prominent role within Vision Pro.

It is clear that Tim Cook intends to be directly involved in the development of the augmented reality headset, possibly viewing it as his final major project before stepping down as CEO. Dan Riccio’s retirement underscores the significant impact a seasoned manager’s departure can have on the company’s future direction and projects.