Apple appoints John Ternus as CEO as Tim Cook departs after 15 years
Tim Cook stepped down as Apple’s chief executive after a 15-year tenure and was succeeded by senior vice president John Ternus. Cook’s era saw the launch of AirPods, which have generated roughly $10-12 billion in revenue.
Apple announced that John Ternus will assume the role of chief executive, succeeding Tim Cook who left the position after 15 years. Cook, who took over following Steve Jobs’ death, oversaw a period of significant growth in revenue, profit and market value, and led the introduction of several new product lines.
Among those products, the wireless earbuds known as AirPods have become a major revenue source. Apple reports that roughly 150 million units across its standard, Pro and Max versions have been shipped, producing an estimated $10 billion in sales to date and projected to reach $12 billion in 2025. For comparison, that amount exceeds the combined revenue of several mid-size technology firms.
The board’s decision to appoint Ternus, an engineer with a background in hardware development, follows a shift in leadership style. Cook’s expertise lay in operations and supply-chain management, while Ternus is expected to prioritize product innovation as the company prepares for upcoming releases, including a rumored foldable iPhone.
"John Ternus brings a strong engineering perspective that will help drive the next wave of innovation at Apple," a company spokesperson said.
Analysts note that the transition may signal a renewed focus on hardware development, though the company’s financial performance under Cook remains a benchmark for future growth.