Craig Federighi
Craig Federighi | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1969 San Leandro, California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Engineer, corporate executive |
| Years active | 1990s–present |
| Known for | Senior Vice President of Software Engineering at Apple Inc. |
Craig Federighi (born 1969) is a prominent American engineer and corporate leader, currently holding the position of senior vice president (SVP) of software engineering at Apple Inc.. He directs the creation and evolution of Apple's operating systems and manages software deployment throughout the company’s product range, encompassing the user interface, applications, and frameworks.
Early life and education
Federighi was born in San Leandro, California. He completed his undergraduate studies with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering and computer science, followed by a Master of Science in computer science, both from the University of California, Berkeley in 1991 and 1993, respectively.
NeXT and Ariba
At NeXT, Federighi led the development efforts for the Enterprise Objects Framework. When Apple acquired NeXT in 1996, he became part of Apple’s team but departed in 1999 to join Ariba, where he assumed multiple roles including chief technology officer.
Return to Apple
Federighi rejoined Apple in 2009 to oversee engineering for macOS following the launch of Mac OS X Snow Leopard, which was recognized for its enhanced performance and reliability. In March 2011, he took over as vice president of Mac software engineering from Bertrand Serlet, and by August 2012, he advanced to senior vice president with direct reporting to CEO Tim Cook. After the exit of Scott Forstall, Federighi’s responsibilities grew to encompass both iOS and macOS. Over his decade-long tenure, some critics have observed a perceived decline in the overall quality of Apple's software offerings.
As of June 2025, Federighi reportedly holds more than 500,000 shares of Apple stock, valued at around US$91.6 million.
Public image
Federighi is well-known within the Apple community for his charismatic software presentations, which frequently feature humor as well as nods to his signature hairstyle and personal interests such as the band Rush. A running comedic theme during his macOS keynotes involves a fictitious “crack product marketing team” traveling across California, linking to the naming conventions of OS versions. His nicknames include "Hair Force One," and Apple CEO Tim Cook has referred to him as "Superman."
His debut on stage at WWDC occurred in 2009 when he co-presented Mac OS X Snow Leopard. Since then, he has introduced significant releases such as Mac OS X Lion (2010), iOS 7 alongside OS X Mavericks (2013), iOS 8 with OS X Yosemite (2014), iOS 9 paired with OS X El Capitan (2015), and demonstrated Swift’s transition to open source. In 2015, he showcased 3D Touch on the iPhone 6S.
At WWDC 2016, Federighi announced the renaming of OS X to macOS with macOS Sierra and unveiled new developer APIs for Siri and iMessage. He has consistently highlighted how technology can enhance everyday life. In 2017, he emphasized Safari’s upgraded privacy protections designed to block cross-site tracking cookies.
During Apple’s September 2017 Special Event, a Face ID demonstration on iPhone X experienced a technical glitch due to prior device use. Undeterred, Federighi continued leading software unveilings with iOS 12 and macOS Mojave (2018), followed by iOS 13, iPadOS, and macOS Catalina (2019). He was also the principal presenter at WWDC 2020 for iOS 14, iPadOS 14, and macOS Big Sur.
He made occasional appearances at later Apple events, including a widely shared moment in November 2020 when waking a MacBook during a keynote presentation. In 2021, he addressed security concerns related to sideloading on iOS at the Web Summit.
At WWDC events in 2022 and 2023, Federighi introduced iOS versions 16 and 17, iPadOS versions 16 and 17, along with macOS Ventura and Sonoma respectively, including developer previews and public beta releases. At WWDC 2024, he presented iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia, as well as Apple Intelligence, an AI feature suite designed for Apple devices.
Most recently at WWDC 2025, Federighi unveiled iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, alongside introducing a unified Liquid Glass design overhaul across all operating systems.
Personal life
Federighi has Italian heritage. He has been married since 2014 and is a father to four children.