John Ternus assumes Apple CEO role as Tim Cook steps down
Apple veteran John Ternus became chief executive on Tuesday, succeeding Tim Cook, who will remain as executive chairman. Ternus brings decades of hardware and product design experience to the position.
Apple announced that John Ternus took over as chief executive on Tuesday, marking the end of Tim Cook's 15-year tenure as CEO. Cook will stay on as the company's executive chairman.
Ternus, who joined Apple in 2001 and has overseen hardware development for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and AirPods, was promoted to the executive team in 2021. He also led the transition to Apple-designed silicon across the company's major product lines.
Industry commentator Leander Kahney said the appointment reflects a continuity of product focus that began with Steve Jobs and continued under Cook. > "He has that sort of product focus, and Steve Jobs obviously had that too… he was the consummate product guy," Kahney said.
Kahney added that Apple’s emphasis on in-house manufacturing and hardware expertise positions the company to address emerging AI and privacy challenges. He noted that Apple has integrated neural engines into its devices, creating a large base of AI-capable hardware.
Apple recently announced price increases for several products, citing higher memory-chip costs and supply constraints. The company is working with TSMC on new chip facilities and has begun diversifying its supplier base by re-engaging Intel for certain designs.