Apple Music and Beats 1 lead Ian Rogers has unexpectedly left Apple two months since the Apple Music launch. Although Apple Music app has received some criticism, Rogers’ primary responsibility, Beats 1, has received much critical acclaim and has been widely praised, so it is surprising to see a resignation out of the director. The Financial Times first reported the departure, which has now been confirmed by Apple.
Before joining Apple, Ian Rogers was CEO of Beats Music. The report frames the resignation as unexpected, with sources claiming Ian Rogers has joined a new European company in an unrelated industry. Reception to the Apple Music service has been good, but somewhat muted. Apple announced 11 million people had signed up to the music subscription trial. However, the real success of Apple Music won’t be known until users’ free trials expire and people have to start paying $9.99 per month for the service.
