Is new CEO John Ternus the reinvention Apple needs?

Apple said last night its senior vice president of hardware engineering, John Ternus, will become the next CEO of the technology giant – sparking questions over the direction the business will take.

Effective 1 September 2026, Ternus will succeed long-term CEO Tim Cook, who was responsible for taking over the company in 2011. Cook will become executive chairman of Apple’s board of directors, the company said and is expected to assist with certain aspects of the company, including engaging with policymakers worldwide.

“I am profoundly grateful for this opportunity to carry Apple’s mission forward,” Ternus said, speaking on his appointment. “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.”

Tim Cook’s journey: Thinking beyond the iPhone

Joining Apple in 1998 before taking up the helm after co-founder Steve Jobs, Tim Cook has overseen a company revolution. He is responsible for growing Apple from a hardware company into a range of services, including iCloud, Apple Pay, and Apple TV.

With Apple Services being a critical priority under his leadership, Cook was a driving force in creating the wearables category of the business.

As a result, Apple grew from a market capitalisation of roughly US$350 billion to $4 trillion, the company said, representing a more than 1,000% increase. Yearly revenue for the company has nearly quadrupled to more than $416 billion in the fiscal year 2025, with its global expansion efforts reaching more than 200 countries and territories.

“Cook has made Apple’s core values even more central to the company’s decision making and product development,” the company said in a statement. “He has also pushed for continued innovation in the accessibility space, believing that Apple products should be made for everyone.”

It added: “He has made central to his leadership the notion that Apple should be a place where everyone can feel they belong and where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.”

An appetite for change?

Ternus’ appointment is perhaps coming at the perfect time for Apple. The news of his appointment arrives shortly after Apple’s 50^th birthday, amid questions from the technology business world about how up-to-speed the company is with AI advancements.

The company was reportedly ‘blindsided’ by the ChatGPT moment in late-2022, with Cook since remarking that generative AI (Gen AI) had “great promise” but had some potential dangers.

Under his leadership, analysts have criticised the company for stumbling over its competitive edge in the current digital transformation space. While its iPhone business is thriving, it continues to lag in AI and has unfulfilled promises over the Siri virtual assistant upgrade.

With Ternus becoming CEO, perhaps Apple could finally grab its own ‘AI moment’.

First joining Apple’s product design team in 2001, Ternus became vice president of hardware engineering for the company in 2013. He joined the executive team in his current role in 2021 and, throughout 25-year career at Apple, has overseen hardware engineering work on a wide range of products for the company – including new product lines for iPad and AirPods, in addition to new generations of iPhones, Macs and Apple Watches.

It was Ternus’ work on Mac that led the category to become more powerful and popular worldwide than any other time in the product’s history, Apple said on Monday. Likewise, under his leadership, advancements in the AirPods made them world-leading products. Apple said his focus on reliability and durability have led to Apple products becoming more resilient.

With Apple planning to launch its latest iPhone model in September, shortly after Ternus will be appointed. The much-anticipated release could be a great springboard for Ternus and offer the much-needed transformation Apple needs – although time will tell if this extends into AI development.

“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,” Ternus shared.

“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.”

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