Ford announced today it has appointed Peter Stern, a former Apple executive, as the president of its newly established Ford Integrated Services. This division is set to revolutionize software-enabled customer experiences across Ford’s key segments: Ford Blue, Model e, and Ford Pro.
Stern, who served as Apple’s vice president of Services for over six years until January 2023, played a pivotal role in launching Apple’s diverse services portfolio, including Apple TV+, Apple News+, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+, and Apple One, among others.
Back in January, it was reported that Stern was departing Apple, but we did not know where he would end up.
Stern will be reporting directly to Ford’s President and CEO, Jim Farley and he will be responsible for the following, according to the automaker in a press release on Monday:
“This is transformational. The cornerstone of our Ford+ plan is creating incredible customer services and experiences enabled by top-tier hardware and software. Peter Stern is uniquely positioned to spearhead this strategically crucial part of our business,” said Farley in a statement.
Ford says it has over 550,000 paid software and services subscribers, with Ford Pro commercial customers making up a significant 80% of this number.
“The auto industry is undergoing a monumental shift. The basis for differentiation is now the integration of hardware, software, and services. I’m excited to be at the epicentre of this historic transformation, especially with a legacy brand like Ford,” said Stern.
Stern managed marketing for all Apple services, including the App Store, Apple Card, and Apple Music. He played a pivotal role in developing several subscription products and was instrumental in securing sports rights deals for Apple TV+ as the company ventured deeper into streaming and advertising.
As of writing, Stern’s LinkedIn has not been updated yet to indicate his new role at Ford, but it does mention he concluded his time at Apple in January 2023.
While Ford is busy making EVs and working on its BlueCruise hands-free driving system, Apple’s rumoured self-driving car seems years and years away. While GM had agreed to ditch CarPlay and Android Auto, Ford is still sticking with the Apple option for iPhone users.
