Apple has named long-time executive John Ternus as its next chief executive, marking a major leadership transition at one of the world’s most valuable companies. Ternus will take over from Tim Cook on September 1, with Cook stepping down after nearly 15 years at the helm.
Cook, who has led Apple since 2011 following the resignation of co-founder Steve Jobs, will move into the role of executive chairman. He is expected to remain involved in select areas, including engagement with global policymakers, even after handing over day-to-day responsibilities.
Ternus, currently senior vice-president of hardware engineering, has spent 25 years at Apple and has been closely associated with many of its flagship products. His appointment signals a shift towards a more product-focused leadership style, as the company looks to reinvigorate innovation and reduce its dependence on the iPhone.
During Cook’s tenure, Apple transformed into a financial powerhouse. The company became the first publicly listed firm to cross a $1 trillion valuation in 2018 and is now valued at around $4 trillion. Under his leadership, Apple expanded its global footprint, strengthened its supply chain, and significantly increased profitability.
However, critics have long argued that Apple’s pace of breakthrough innovation slowed during this period. While the company refined and scaled its existing product ecosystem, it did not produce a category-defining product on the scale of the iPhone. The launch of the Apple Vision Pro, for instance, failed to gain widespread consumer traction.
Ternus’s elevation is being viewed as a response to these concerns. Having worked on nearly every major Apple product—including successive generations of the iPad and iPhone, as well as the introduction of AirPods and the Apple Watch—he brings deep engineering and product development experience. He also played a key role in transitioning Mac computers to Apple’s in-house silicon, a move widely seen as a technological milestone.
Industry analysts say the choice of a hardware specialist reflects Apple’s intent to focus on differentiation through new products. The company is believed to be exploring areas such as foldable devices, advanced wearables, and deeper integration of artificial intelligence into its ecosystem.
Apple has faced criticism for being relatively slow in capitalising on the rapid rise of AI, especially compared to rivals like Google, Microsoft, and Meta. Its recent decision to integrate OpenAI’s technology into its operating systems highlights the urgency of strengthening its position in this space.
Cook described Ternus as a “visionary” leader with strong engineering instincts and integrity, adding that he is the right person to guide Apple into its next phase. Ternus, who once worked under Jobs and considers Cook a mentor, has expressed confidence about the company’s future and its ability to innovate.
The leadership change comes at a critical juncture. Apple’s core strength has long been its ability to refine and scale products within a tightly controlled ecosystem. The challenge now is whether it can pivot towards faster, more experimental innovation in areas such as AI and next-generation hardware.