Apple's Communications Head Steve Dowling Quits

Apple communications head Steve Dowling is leaving the company in October after 16 years of service.

According to a memo obtained by the Vox, Dowling has informed his staff at Apple that Phil Schiller will be managing the communications team on an interim basis.

Dowling will be the third top C-Suite executive to have left Apple this year. He joined Apple in 2003 and has led its communications effort since 2014 after longtime communications chief Katie Cotton left the company, Vox reported on Wednesday.

"After 16 years at Apple, countless keynotes, product launches and the occasional PR crisis, I have decided that the time is right for me to step away from our remarkable company," Dowling wrote in the memo

"This is something that has been on my mind for a while, and it came into sharp focus during the latest - and for me, last - launch cycle. Your plans are set and the team is executing brilliantly as ever. So, it's time."

He added that he plans to take time off and is not moving to another job, he will stay at Apple until the end of October.

Dowling has been with Apple through some of its biggest launches, including AirPods, iPhone X, and iPad Pro.

In a statement to Vox, Apple confirmed Dowling's plan to leave the company.

"Steve Dowling has been dedicated to Apple for more than 16 years and has contributed to the company at every level through many of its most significant moments. From the first iPhone and App Store to Apple Watch and AirPods, he has helped tell Apple's story and share our values with the world," Apple was quoted as saying in the statement.

"Following another successful product launch, he has decided to leave Apple to spend some much deserved time with his family. He leaves behind a tremendous legacy that will serve the company well into the future. We're grateful to him for all that he's given to Apple and wish him the best," the company added.

In June, Apple announced that the company's chief design officer Jony Ive, is leaving the company this year. Apple's retail boss Angela Ahrendts departed in April.