Apple Announces Reorganization -- Apple announced a sweeping reorganization last week, combining several groups into two primary divisions: "Worldwide Marketing and Customer Solutions" and "Apple Research and Development." The reorganizations should allow Apple to focus more closely on consumer, education, and entertainment markets while maintaining and expanding its core businesses. This is Apple's first major restructuring since 1993; by some accounts that puts them behind schedule.

Worldwide Marketing and Customer Solutions will be headed by Daniel Eilers (who you may recognize as the current president and CEO of Apple's subsidiary Claris) and will focus on consumer, home, business, and education markets, as well as adding a new group to concentrate on the entertainment industry. Interestingly, both Claris and eWorld will report to Eilers under this new organization. Apple Research and Development will be led by David Nagel, currently head of AppleSoft. His new group will focus on tightly integrating Apple software and hardware, overseeing Newton development and the Advanced Technology group, as well as the company-wide operating systems and licensing efforts. The reorganization did not change Apple's sales, customer support, and manufacturing and distribution functions, and Apple does not plan to cut jobs as a result of the reorganization. [GD]