Tim Cook is stepping down as Apple CEO - here's his replacement

Tim Cook has been rumored to be stepping down as CEO of Apple for months. He will take over as CEO on September 1, 2026, when John Ternus, Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, will lead the company.

Movement It comes after a “thoughtful, long-term sequential planning process,” according to Apple. Cook will still contribute to “certain aspects” of Apple as executive chairman, including talks with politicians around the world.

As part of the shift, Apple is appointing Senior Vice President of Hardware Technology Johny Srougee as its new Chief Hardware Officer, effective immediately. The position will give him an “expanded role” covering both Ternus’ Hardware Engineering division and hardware technologies.

The long legacy of Tim Cook

Big successes, but also a few failures

Tim Cook left Compaq to join Apple in 1998, shortly after co-founder Steve Jobs returned. He is known for transforming Apple’s operations, from months of unsold inventory and long product releases to inventory and rapid releases. It’s also known for making smart bets on components like flash memory, which helped make the 2005 iPod nano a hit and help Apple limit the damage of the AI-powered RAM crisis today.

He took over as CEO at Apple in 2009 during one of Jobs’ medical leaves, and again in early 2011 for a brief period. He officially took over in August 2011, when Jobs resigned permanently due to ill health.

Cook has expanded Apple tremendously since taking over—it’s now worth more than $4 trillion, or 1,000% more than it was in 2011. The iPhone remains its centerpiece, but the company under Cook’s watch has introduced hits such as AirPods, the Apple Watch and Apple Silicon-based Macs. It also generates more revenue from services including Apple Music and Apple TV.

There were notable missteps. The long-rumored car project never materialized. Vision Pro sales were limited to a relatively small number of hobbyists and professionals, and MacBooks between 2015 and 2020 suffered from both keyboard quality issues and poor performance from Intel-based chips. Apple Intelligence was also noted for promising features that Apple simply isn’t ready for and promised won’t be available until Siri, powered by Google Gemini, arrives this year.

Who is Apple’s new CEO, John Ternus?

A hardware genius with deep roots in Apple

John Ternus is no stranger to Apple, having worked at the company for 25 years. He initially worked on Apple’s monitors, but in 2013 became Vice President of Hardware Engineering, leading work on AirPods, iPads and Macs. He took control of the iPhone business in 2020 and led the Apple Watch business in 2022, a year after becoming Senior VP.

It was reported that Ternus was a likely candidate for the CEO position due to both his product focus and his personality. He is “charismatic and well-liked” according to Bloomberg. That makes him a potentially ideal leader for a company still focused on hardware.

In announcing the switch from Cook, Apple notes that Ternus pioneered the use of innovative materials, such as the 3D-printed titanium of the Apple Watch Ultra 3, and made strides in repairability and durability. If your iPhone or Mac is running longer, you may have Ternus to thank.

His choice clarifies Apple’s leadership strategy. It still prefers veterans over the outside and doesn’t see a need to shake up any time soon.