Two top executives leave Apple amid tensions

Apple's new boss has made sweeping staff changes in an attempt to restore peace to the company following the death of founder Steve Jobs.

Following reports of tensions, Tim Cook has ousted Briton John Browett, the former head of Dixons, who was appointed six months ago to take charge of Apple’s stores.

Mr Browett is believed to have made mistakes, including the launch of a staffing formula that workers loathed because it drastically cut their hours.

Scott Forstall, who led the team behind iOS, the software for Apple’s mobile devices, has also been removed. Mr Forstall, who was once tipped as a possible future chief executive, is understood to have had an “abrasive” management style.

Reports suggest that the final straw for Mr Cook was when he refused to sign a public apology for the problems with its new iPhone 5 maps app, which lost entire cities and moved some towns miles from their true locations.

British designer Sir Jonathan Ive will become the head of “human interface” as well as leader of industrial design, meaning that he will control the look and feel of all Apple products.

Richard Holway, chairman of industry analysts TechMarketView, said Apple should now release a product that shows it can still produce ground-breaking devices. This is expected to be the iTV, a combined television, set-top box and computer.