John Ternus becomes CEO as Tim Cook moves to Executive Chair
John Ternus took over as CEO of Apple effective September 1, 2026, with Tim Cook transitioning to the role of Executive Chair of the Board. The leadership change is reflected on Apple’s updated leadership page, which now includes board member headshots featuring Cook.
Ternus has been at Apple for more than 20 years and most recently served as Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, where he helped lead development of core products. Observers quoted by Apple expect a shift toward a more product-oriented strategy under his leadership, contrasting with Cook’s long-running operational focus. Company materials and reporting also say Ternus is expected to prioritize advancements in artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.
Ternus’s first major public appearance as CEO is scheduled for the company’s fall media event on September 9. He is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro and a new iPhone Ultra model at that event, which will serve as an early indicator of his approach to product direction.
The change at the top came with a broader management reshuffle. Longtime Apple executive Phil Schiller stepped down. Eddy Cue was reinstated as head of the App Store. Former hardware vice president Laura Legros, who retired in 2022, has rejoined the company. These moves alter the company’s product and store oversight ahead of the fall product cycle.
Tim Cook concluded a 15-year tenure as CEO that began in 2011. Reports say his last day as CEO was August 31, 2026. Cook posted on X on his final day, saying, “Sending lots of love to the Apple community on my last day as CEO,” and he also sent a memo to employees expressing confidence in Ternus’s leadership.
The appointments place a seasoned hardware executive at the company’s helm and return seasoned leaders to key roles. The September 9 media event and early decisions about the App Store and product road map will indicate how quickly Apple shifts toward the priorities signaled by this leadership change.
John Ternus was a genuinely strong hardware chief — the Apple Silicon transition and products like AirPods and iPad are real wins, even with stumbles like Vision Pro. But as CEO he’s now stepping into AI, software, and services, areas he’s never led, and ones that were already rocky under Tim. Ternus still has to prove he can do for AI what he did for silicon.
— GeekySplash