Apple Management Shake-Up: Latest News Includes New Executives for Siri, Maps and iOS, OS X

Apple has made some executive management changes that it says will "encourage even more collaboration between the company's world-class hardware, software and services teams."

"We are in one of the most prolific periods of innovation and new products in Apple's history," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "The amazing products that we've introduced in September and October, iPhone 5, iOS 6, iPad mini, iPad, iMac, MacBook Pro, iPod touch, iPod nano and many of our applications, could only have been created at Apple and are the direct result of our relentless focus on tightly integrating world-class hardware, software and services."

According to a release, Apple products designer Jony Ive will now oversee Human Interface; Eddy Cue will be responsible for Siri® and Maps, placing all online services in one group; Craig Federighi is now in charge of both iOS and OS X® "to make it even easier to deliver the best technology and user experience innovations to both platforms;" Bob Mansfield will be in charge of Technologies to "combine all of Apple's wireless teams across the company in one organization."

Apple's said its Head of Retail John Browett is leaving the company and the department will now directly report to Cook.

Earlier this week, Apple announced that Chief of Mobile Operating Systems Scott Forstall was asked to leave because he "refused to sign his name to a letter apologizing for shortcomings in Apple's new mapping service."

More than one week after Apple ditched Google Maps and launched its new Maps application, the company apologized to its customers for falling short on the commitment to "make world-class products that deliver the best experience possible to customers."

According to a Wall Street Journal report, "in deciding how to manage the crisis, Mr. Forstall argued that the company could address the outcry without apologizing, as Apple had done when it shipped iPhones with faulty antennas a few years ago, one of these people said. Mr. Cook and others disagreed, these people said. Mr. Cook signed his name to the apology instead."