Apple prepares for the post-Tim Cook era
The Cupertino-based group is promoting John Ternus
John Ternus is one of Apple’s least well-known top executives. Yet today, he appears to be the leading favorite to succeed Tim Cook at the helm of the Cupertino-based giant. According to Bloomberg, the head of hardware engineering, responsible for the design of the iPhone, Mac, and other products, saw his responsibilities expanded at the end of 2025. He now oversees all design, both hardware and software. It is a strategic role long held by Jony Ive, then by Jeff Williams, who for a time was presented as a future CEO before retiring last summer.
For several months, rumors have been circulating about a possible departure of Tim Cook, who has led Apple since 2011, as early as this year. Tired, the executive is said to be considering stepping back, according to several U.S. media outlets. He would reportedly keep only the position of chairman of the board, giving up day-to-day management. While Apple is already preparing his succession — very likely internally— a handover in the short term nonetheless remains unlikely. The company is currently going through a pivotal moment, as it lags behind in generative artificial intelligence.
A lack of innovation?
Recruited in 1998 by Steve Jobs, who had just returned to lead Apple, Tim Cook is not a technical profile. A former IBM executive, he is an operations specialist. He notably reorganized the supply chain in China, enabling the production of tens, then hundreds, of millions of devices each year. Appointed chief operating officer in 2007, he served several times as interim CEO before permanently taking the role in the summer of 2011, succeeding the company’s founder, who was then gravely ill and would die two months later.
For fifteen years, Tim Cook’s tenure has unfolded in the shadow of Steve Jobs. His critics fault him for a lack of vision, symbolized by the absence of truly groundbreaking product innovations. His boldest bet, the Vision Pro headset, was a commercial failure. Before that, Apple had also abandoned its autonomous electric car project. Yet Cook has managed to sustain the group’s remarkable growth, notably by pushing aggressively into services. Since 2011, revenue and profits have quadrupled, while market capitalization has increased tenfold.
The image Tim Cook leaves behind may be shaped in the coming months. Having fallen behind in AI, Apple was forced to delay the launch of the new Siri, unveiled with great fanfare in June 2024. Two weeks ago, the company formalized a partnership with Google to use a customized version of Gemini, the search giant’s AI model. While this move is an admission of failure, it is also pragmatic: it allows Apple to move forward while it works on developing its own in-house models. The revamped Siri is expected in March or April.
Thinking beyond the smartphone
John Ternus, who arrived in Cupertino in 2001, presents a very different profile. Trained as an engineer, he has risen through the ranks of Apple’s hardware engineering teams. In 2020, he took charge of iPhone engineering and, the following year, of the company’s entire product portfolio. Less media-facing than some other executives, he has been playing an increasingly prominent role at Apple keynotes — for example, presenting the new iPhone Air in September. By also entrusting him with design oversight, Tim Cook has now placed him at the very center of the company’s leadership game.
Although he currently appears to be in pole position, John Ternus is not the only contender. High-profile figures such as Craig Federighi, head of software engineering, and Eddy Cue, chief of services, are also seen as credible candidates. So too are Greg Joswiak, who oversees marketing, and Deirdre O’Brien, who runs Apple’s retail operations. According to Bloomberg, however, the most serious alternative is chief operating officer Sabih Khan. A longtime Apple veteran, he was appointed to the role this summer — a position previously held by Tim Cook and then Jeff Williams.
Between Sabih Khan and John Ternus, Apple’s board will not simply be choosing between two men who both represent a form of continuity. They will also be deciding between two paths. On one side, an operational growth logic in the mold of Tim Cook. On the other, a direction more firmly focused on technological innovation. A crucial choice. Because beyond AI, Apple will soon have to confront another revolution: that of the devices themselves. Several players, including OpenAI — which has recruited Jony Ive — are already working on the post-smartphone era.