Dive Brief:

• Bob Kupbens, the executive in charge of Apple’s online retail business, has left the computing giant to pursue other opportunities, 9to5 Mac reports.

• Kupbens arrived at Apple in 2014, just ahead of Angela Ahrendts, the dynamic former Burberry CEO who was brought on to revamp the company’s retail operations. Kupbens previously guided Delta Airlines' digital marketing.

• Kupbens' departure comes just after Apple suffered its first revenue decline in 13 years on weak iPhone sales, amid evidence that the smartphone sector is saturated and worries that its China business is in trouble. 

Dive Insight:

Kupbens is just the latest retail exec to leave Apple; Bob Bridger exited last year, reportedly at Ahrendts’ behest, and Jerry McDougal, who worked under Apple retail guru Ron Johnson, left in 2013 after 12 years. 

There’s a bit of a mystery regarding Kubpens' departure, given that 9to5 Mac notes he executed Ahrendts’ goals. But his move comes at a time that would seem to call for some soul-searching at Apple, which once seemed virtually unstoppable.

While Ahrendts brought her luxury retail experience to bear on the launch of the Apple Watch, that product hasn’t really been much of the seller for the company. And the iPhone’s sales decline, while a natural result of old-fashioned market saturation, leaves questions about what’s next.

Challenges in China—whose once-fiery economy has cooled—present Apple with significant problems. Consider that North America accounts for a third of iPhone sales, but China accounts for another third, according to Wired magazine. The strong dollar and economic headwinds in many parts of the world, including outside China, are major factors. But so is the fact that the iPhone continues to sport a premium price, while Android smartphones, which have drastically caught up in quality, are far cheaper.

Apple famously has never discounted its merchandise, except for educational sales and refurbished products. But new retail strategies may be in order. For whatever reason, those strategies won’t be formulated with any help from Bob Kupbens.