It appears that the rumours were true—following speculation regarding the end of his tenure at Apple, Tim Cook will now step down from his role as CEO, and will be succeeded by John Ternus, who is currently serving as Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering. Ternus will begin his new role effective on September 1 2026, while Cook will remain as Executive Chairman within the company.
Ternus has been with Apple for more than two decades now, having joined its product design team back in 2001. He eventually took over the role of Vice President of Hardware Engineering in 2013, and joined the executive team in 2021 as Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering. That in mind, he also oversaw the development of several product lines including the iPad, iPhone, Mac and AirPods. Speaking on the transition, Ternus states:
I am profoundly grateful for this opportunity to carry Apple’s mission forward. Having spent almost my entire career at Apple, I have been lucky to have worked under Steve Jobs and to have had Tim Cook as my mentor. It has been a privilege to help shape the products and experiences that have changed so much of how we interact with the world and with one another…
Ternus (left) with Cook (right). Photo courtesy of Apple.
Cook joined Apple in 1998, and stepped in as company CEO later on in 2011 following the resignation of company co-founder and then-CEO Steve Jobs. While Cook did not have an industrial or primarily technological background, his time as CEO allowed the company to move in a direction that focused heavily on developing and promoting its software services alongside hardware, leading to massive business growth. He states:
John Ternus has the mind of an engineer, the soul of an innovator, and the heart to lead with integrity and with honor. He is a visionary whose contributions to Apple over 25 years are already too numerous to count, and he is without question the right person to lead Apple into the future. I could not be more confident in his abilities and his character, and I look forward to working closely with him on this transition and in my new role as executive chairman.
As such, many are curious as to how Apple will operate moving forward, given Ternus’ hardware-focused background. Some have argued that while Cook’s approach led to Apple becoming one of the biggest and most profitable names in tech, the company also “fell behind” in terms of product innovation, especially when compared to competing brands within the industry. That being said, we’re bound to get a preview of how the Cupertino giant fares once it unveils its latest iPhone models this September.