After 15 years at the helm of Apple, Tim Cook is officially stepping down as the company’s chief executive officer.
As of September 1, 2026, John Ternus takes over as Apple’s new CEO, marking the first major change at the top of the company since Cook succeeded Apple co-founder Steve Jobs in 2011. Cook, however, isn’t leaving Apple. He will transition to the role of executive chairman of Apple’s board of directors, where he will continue to play a role in the company’s affairs.
The leadership change was first announced by Apple in April following what the company described as a carefully planned, long-term succession process. The transition was unanimously approved by Apple’s board of directors.
Tim Cook’s 15 Years as Apple’s CEO
Cook became Apple’s CEO in August 2011 after Steve Jobs resigned from the position because of his declining health. Taking over from one of the most influential figures in technology history was an enormous challenge, but Cook ultimately established a leadership style of his own.
Rather than attempting to replicate Jobs, Cook focused heavily on Apple’s operations, supply chain, services business, global expansion, and continued development of its hardware ecosystem.
During Cook’s tenure, Apple introduced several major product categories, including the Apple Watch, AirPods, and Apple Vision Pro. The company also significantly expanded services such as Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, Apple TV+, and the App Store.
Apple’s financial and global footprint also grew substantially during Cook’s leadership. When he became CEO, Apple had a market capitalization of approximately $350 billion. By the time he stepped down, Apple had grown to a company valued at roughly $4 trillion, while annual revenue had increased from $108 billion in fiscal 2011 to more than $416 billion in fiscal 2025. Apple’s active installed base also grew to more than 2.5 billion devices.
Cook also oversaw Apple’s transition toward designing more of its own technology, including the company’s custom Apple silicon. The move has become one of the most significant developments in Apple’s modern hardware strategy, particularly across the Mac lineup.
Under Cook, Apple also placed greater emphasis on privacy, accessibility, environmental initiatives, and the company’s services business, which has grown into a more than $100 billion annual business.
John Ternus Becomes Apple’s New CEO
Taking over for Cook is John Ternus, a longtime Apple executive who has spent nearly his entire professional career at the company.
Ternus joined Apple’s product design team in 2001 and became vice president of Hardware Engineering in 2013. In 2021, he joined Apple’s executive team as senior vice president of Hardware Engineering.
That makes Ternus a particularly interesting choice to lead Apple.
While Cook built his reputation around operations, supply-chain management, and business execution, Ternus comes from a deeply technical and engineering-focused background.
During his time at Apple, Ternus has been involved with hardware development across virtually every major product category. Apple specifically credits him with work involving the iPad and AirPods, as well as numerous generations of the iPhone, Mac, and Apple Watch.
His team has also played an important role in Apple’s recent hardware developments, including Apple silicon, improvements in product durability and repairability, and innovations in materials and manufacturing.
Ternus holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. Before joining Apple, he worked as a mechanical engineer at Virtual Research Systems.
Cook Isn’t Leaving Apple
Although today marks the end of Cook’s tenure as CEO, it isn’t the end of his time at Apple.
As executive chairman, Cook is expected to remain involved in certain aspects of the company. Apple specifically noted that he will assist with matters including Apple’s engagement with policymakers around the world.
That means Apple isn’t completely severing ties with the executive who has led the company for the past 15 years.
The arrangement could also provide Ternus with an experienced resource as he takes on one of the most demanding leadership positions in the technology industry.
Cook has already expressed strong confidence in his successor, describing Ternus as someone with “the mind of an engineer” and “the soul of an innovator.” Apple chairman Arthur Levinson similarly called Ternus the best possible leader to succeed Cook.
What Does Ternus’ Leadership Mean for Apple?
Perhaps the biggest question now is what an engineer at the top of Apple could mean for the company’s future.
Ternus has spent 25 years working on Apple’s products, giving him an unusually deep understanding of the company’s hardware development process and product philosophy.
His promotion comes at an important time for Apple.
The company is facing increasing pressure to demonstrate that it can compete effectively in artificial intelligence, while also continuing to develop new hardware categories and maintain the enormous ecosystem that Cook helped build.
Apple’s AI efforts will be particularly important. The company has been working to expand Apple Intelligence and improve Siri as competition from companies such as OpenAI and Google continues to accelerate.
At the same time, Apple is expected to continue exploring new hardware categories and product designs. The company’s next generation of products could give Ternus an opportunity to put his hardware expertise directly into the CEO role.
That could make the transition more than a simple change in management. It could eventually signal a renewed emphasis on Apple’s product and engineering culture.
A New Era for Apple
Tim Cook’s departure as CEO represents the end of one of the longest and most consequential leadership eras in Apple’s history.
He inherited a company that had already become one of the world’s most important technology companies, but he leaves behind an Apple that is considerably larger, more diversified, and more deeply integrated into the lives of its customers around the world.
Now John Ternus has the difficult task of determining what comes next.
Unlike the transition from Steve Jobs to Cook, this change has been carefully planned and does not represent a sudden change in Apple’s leadership. Ternus has worked alongside Cook for years and has already spent more than two decades helping shape Apple’s products.
That could make the transition considerably smoother.
But the expectations will be enormous.
Ternus is taking control of Apple at a time when the company must navigate artificial intelligence, changing consumer expectations, new hardware categories, increasing competition, and the continued evolution of its enormous services business.
For now, one thing is certain: September 1, 2026, marks the beginning of a new chapter for Apple.
Tim Cook’s era as CEO is over.
John Ternus’ era has officially begun.
