Despite its potential, the Vision Pro has faced challenges related to weight, overheating, and high pricing, complicating its commercial success.

Following Riccio's departure, John Ternus, Apple's hardware boss, will take over the Vision Products Group, which includes thousands of engineers working on headset technology.

Mike Rockwell, Riccio's lieutenant, will continue to manage the group's day-to-day operations.

While some speculate that Riccio's retirement may indicate issues for the Apple Vision Pro, such conclusions are considered unlikely given Apple's history of managing executive transitions.

Riccio has been planning his retirement for the past five years, indicating a long-considered decision.

Dan Riccio, a veteran Apple executive, is retiring this month after 26 years with the company, marking a significant transition in Apple's leadership.

His departure represents one of the largest management shifts at Apple since the exit of design chief Jony Ive in 2019, as several top executives, including CEO Tim Cook, approach retirement age.

Joining Apple in 1998, Riccio became the head of hardware engineering in 2012, overseeing major product launches such as the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and the Vision Pro headset.

He played a pivotal role in the development of the Vision Pro headset, which launched in July 2023, and was also involved in Apple's self-driving car initiative, Project Titan, which was disbanded earlier this year.

Ternus's leadership may influence Apple's extended reality strategy and could lead to changes or cancellations of in-development headsets.

Riccio's exit coincides with other leadership changes at Apple, including the planned departure of CFO Luca Maestri and the head of procurement.

Tim Cook praised Riccio for his innovations, stating that they have significantly contributed to Apple's success and innovation.