Apple on Monday named long-time insider John Ternus as its next chief executive, handing the reins to the company’s top hardware executive as the iPhone maker prepares for a technology shift driven by artificial intelligence.
Ternus, 50, will take over as CEO on 1 September 2026, following a transition period, Apple said. Current chief executive Tim Cook will become executive chairman of the board, a move approved unanimously by Apple’s directors as part of what the company described as a long-planned succession process.
Cook, who has led Apple since 2011, will continue as CEO through the summer of 2026 and work closely with Ternus to ensure a smooth handover. As executive chairman, Cook will focus in part on policy engagement and strategic matters, the company said.
“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,” said Cook.
A 25-year Apple veteran, Ternus joined the company in 2001 and rose to become senior vice president of Hardware Engineering in 2021. Though he has largely kept a low public profile, he has overseen the engineering of Apple’s core devices across iPhone, Mac, iPad, Apple Watch and AirPods, and has been credited internally with sharpening the company’s product segmentation.
Under his leadership, Apple expanded its “Pro” lineup of Macs and iPhones, pushing performance and prices higher, while also introducing more affordable devices such as the MacBook Neo and iPhone “e” models to broaden its customer base. Ternus also played a central role in Apple’s recent Mac resurgence, helping the business gain market share from traditional PCs.
“I am filled with optimism about what we can achieve in the years to come, and I am so happy to know that the most talented people on earth are here at Apple, determined to be part of something bigger than any one of us. I am humbled to step into this role, and I promise to lead with the values and vision that have come to define this special place for half a century,” said Ternus.
Last autumn, Ternus helped unveil the iPhone Air, Apple’s biggest redesign of the device since 2017 and a key showcase for new in-house chips. The product strategy comes as Apple faces intensifying competition and a broader industry pivot toward AI-powered devices and services.
The leadership change follows a period in which Apple briefly lost its position as the world’s most valuable company to Nvidia, indicating investor enthusiasm for artificial-intelligence hardware.
Arthur Levinson, Apple’s non-executive chairman, will become lead independent director when the transition takes effect, while Ternus will join Apple’s board.
During Cook’s tenure, Apple expanded far beyond the iPhone, launching products such as Apple Watch, AirPods and Vision Pro, and building a services business that now generates more than USD 100 billion a year. Apple’s market value grew more than tenfold under his leadership, and its installed base surpassed 2.5 billion active devices worldwide. |
