This year’s iPhone launch will be very, very different – not just because we expect the company’s first foldable, but because Tim Cook will not be the CEO, instead, it will be his pick John Ternus taking the reigns of that event and the company.
After 15 years leading the world’s most valuable company, Tim Cook is handing the top job at Apple to John Ternus, the engineer who helped shape some of the most iconic products Apple has ever made.
Apple confirmed the transition today, with Ternus officially becoming CEO on September 1, 2026. Cook won’t be walking out the door though — he’ll stay on as Executive Chairman, keeping a seat at the table on policy and board matters.
“It has been the greatest privilege of my life to be the CEO of Apple and to have been trusted to lead such an extraordinary company. I love Apple with all of my being, and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with a team of such ingenious, innovative, creative, and deeply caring people who have been unwavering in their dedication to enriching the lives of our customers and creating the best products and services in the world,” said Cook.
“John Ternus has the mind of an engineer, the soul of an innovator, and the heart to lead with integrity and with honor. He is a visionary whose contributions to Apple over 25 years are already too numerous to count, and he is without question the right person to lead Apple into the future. I could not be more confident in his abilities and his character, and I look forward to working closely with him on this transition and in my new role as executive chairman.”
Ternus has been at Apple since 2001, starting on the product design team before rising to Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering in 2021. If you’ve ever used an iPad, a pair of AirPods, or an iPhone, you’ve used something his team built. Most recently, his engineering team delivered the iPhone 17 lineup — including the ultra-thin iPhone Air — and the new MacBook Neo.
“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.”
Cook’s run as CEO is, frankly, extraordinary. When he took the top job in 2011, Apple had a market cap of around $350 billion. Today it sits at $4 trillion. Revenue has nearly quadrupled, the active device base has passed 2.5 billion, and Apple Services alone is now a $100 billion-plus business.
Arthur Levinson, who has served as Apple’s non-executive chairman for 15 years, moves to Lead Independent Director from September 1. Ternus will also join the board.
It’s the end of an era — and the start of what sounds like a carefully planned next chapter.
Trev is a Technology Commentator, Dad, Speaker and Rev Head.
He produces and hosts several popular podcasts, EFTM, Two Blokes Talking Tech, Two Blokes Talking Electric Cars, The Best Movies You’ve Never Seen, and the Private Feed. He is the resident tech expert for Triple M on radio across Australia, and is the resident Tech Expert on Channel 9’s Today Show and appears regularly on 9 News, A Current Affair and Sky News Early Edition.
Father of three, he is often found in his Man Cave.
