Forstall Refused To Apologize For Maps

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Scott Forstall's departure was in part due to his refusal to sign a public apology letter for the Maps application.



Scott Forstall, in charge of the iOS development team had direct oversight of the Maps Application, as well as all other major aspects of the mobile operating system.  It was Forstall who demoed the Maps application earlier this year as a developer preview.  Using Scott's Jobs like flair Maps demonstrations always went off without a hitch - perhaps helping to create a reputation of over-promising and under-delivering.

Due to Forstall's oversight role of the iOS team, it makes sense that he would have been among the first in line for any apology issued over Maps poor reception.  WSJ reports that Cook initially asked Forstall to issue an apology, and after Forstall refused Cook signed his name instead.  Apparently this act of defiance was the final straw, leading to Cook deciding to let go of the executive that initially came on board as part of the NeXT Acquisition.

Reports of tension between the new CEO and Forstall have been numerous.  In fact, confrontations between Forstall and just about every level of senior management have been reported at some point in his 15 year tenure with the company.  Forstall was often deemed to be untouchable as a Steve Jobs protege - however, after Jobs passing things began to change.  Cook's vision of Apple, for better or worse created an environment much more concerned with listening and responding to user feedback.  In the time of antenna-gate Forstall's unwillingness to apologize would have been the norm, but in today's Apple it is no longer acceptable.