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Apple names John Ternus as CEO as Tim Cook moves on to different role
Cook, 65, will hand over CEO responsibilities to Apple’s head of hardware engineering, John Ternus, on September 1, while continuing with Apple as executive chairman.
Tim Cook is stepping down as chief executive of Apple Inc., the role he took over from the late Steve Jobs, bringing to a close nearly 15 years at the helm during which the company’s market value surged by more than USD 3.6 trillion, driven largely by the success of the iPhone era.
Cook, 65, will hand over CEO responsibilities to Apple’s head of hardware engineering, John Ternus, on September 1, while continuing with the Cupertino, California-based company as executive chairman. The move mirrors leadership transitions seen at companies such as Amazon under Jeff Bezos and Netflix under Reed Hastings.
Although he was often seen as lacking Jobs’ visionary flair, Cook capitalised on the iPhone’s global popularity and innovations introduced during his predecessor’s tenure, steering Apple to unprecedented heights, far removed from its near-bankruptcy in the mid-1990s.
About John Ternus
John Ternus, 50, joined Apple Inc. in 2001 and has largely worked behind the scenes on the development of flagship products such as Macs, iPads and AirPods. As head of hardware engineering, he played a key role in reviving Mac sales, introducing a mix of premium “Pro” models and more affordable devices that helped refine Apple’s product lineup.
His elevation comes at a time when Apple is facing growing competition in artificial intelligence and semiconductor technologies, particularly from Nvidia, which recently surpassed the iPhone maker in market value, as well as rivals like Meta Platforms in emerging areas such as augmented reality.
Ternus is expected to deepen the integration of AI across Apple’s ecosystem, especially within the iPhone, widely regarded as one of the most successful consumer products ever created. Earlier this year, Apple partnered with Google to bring its Gemini AI model into Siri, underscoring efforts to strengthen its capabilities in the field.
Industry analysts believe Ternus will also focus on advancing new hardware categories, including foldable devices, smart glasses and AI-powered wearables, as Apple looks to regain momentum in next-generation technologies.
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