Tim Cook steps down as Apple CEO after 15 years
Tim Cook is leaving Apple after a 15-year tenure, during which he expanded services, introduced Apple silicon and wearables, and grew the company’s market value, while also facing setbacks such as the Vision Pro, the abandoned Apple Car project, and App Store controversies.
Apple announced that longtime chief executive Tim Cook will depart after 15 years in the role, with senior hardware executive John Ternus named as his successor. Cook took over in 2011 when the iPhone already accounted for half of Apple’s revenue and set out to diversify the business. Under his leadership the services segment, launched with the App Store, grew to generate about $100 billion annually, adding Apple Pay, Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, News+, a credit card, Fitness+, and bundled Apple One plans.
He also oversaw the transition of Macs from Intel processors to Apple-designed silicon, beginning with the M1 chip in 2020 and completing the shift in 2023, while introducing a 5G modem for the iPhone 16 series. The wearables portfolio expanded with the Apple Watch in 2015 and AirPods in 2016, both later incorporating health-monitoring features; Cook said Apple’s greatest contribution to humanity would be health-related.
During his tenure Apple became the first U.S. company to reach a $1 trillion market capitalization in 2018 and later surpassed $2, $3 and $4 trillion, driven by strong supply-chain management and profitability. The company also positioned itself as a privacy advocate, refusing a government request to create a backdoor for an iPhone used in the 2015 San Bernardino attack and later challenging similar demands in the United Kingdom, while adding privacy tools such as Private Relay and Advanced Data Protection.
Cook’s record includes several high-profile missteps. The Vision Pro mixed-reality headset, launched in 2024 at $3,499, saw weak sales and production cuts, leading to staff reductions. The long-rumored autonomous-vehicle effort, Project Titan, was abandoned after spending more than $10 billion and disbanding a 2,000-person team. Siri’s development lagged behind competitors, with promised AI upgrades delayed until fall 2025 after a costly settlement over misleading claims. Apple’s App Store faced legal challenges, notably the Epic Games lawsuit, and regulatory pressure in the EU over its commission structure. The initial release of Apple Maps in 2012 was widely criticized for inaccurate data, prompting a public apology and a subsequent overhaul.
Cook will remain as executive chairman, continuing to manage Apple’s relationship with political figures, including President Donald Trump, a role that has required public appearances and gifts on the company’s behalf.