John Ternus is new CEO of Apple, Tim Cook is executive chairman

Apple announced that Tim Cook will become executive chairman of Apple’s board of directors and John Ternus, senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, will become Apple’s next chief executive officer effective on September 1, 2026. The transition, which was approved unanimously by the Board of Directors, follows a thoughtful, long-term succession planning process.

Cook will continue in his role as CEO through the summer as he works closely with Ternus on a smooth transition. As executive chairman, Cook will assist with certain aspects of the company, including engaging with policymakers around the world.

“I am profoundly grateful for this opportunity to carry Apple’s mission forward,” said Ternus. “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. 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.”

Ternus has been referred to as the youngest member of Apple’s executive team having worked on almost all product lines from the Cinema Display to the AirPods, Mac, and iPad. He is set to inherit a USD $4 trillion dollar market cap company thanks to the conservative leadership of Tim Cook. Although growth has been phenomenal since Cook’s time, questions arise with the changing landscape in technology especially in the realm of AI. Apple has since outsourced its AI to Google’s Gemini. Apple’s latest innovation is the MacBook Neo, taking the budget laptop market to a completely new level. The Neo was developed by the team that Ternus led. This news might be a clue to the future of Apple as it navigates new challenges in hardware procurement and AI.