Tim Cook to Step Down as Apple CEO, John Ternus Named Successor

Apple has announced a major leadership transition, with Tim Cook set to step down as chief executive officer and become Executive Chairman of Apple’s board of directors.

The change will take effect on September 1, 2026, when John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, becomes the company’s next CEO. Apple said the transition was unanimously approved by its board and follows a long-term succession planning process.

Cook, who became Apple CEO in 2011 after Steve Jobs, has led the company through one of the most successful periods in its history. During his tenure, Apple expanded far beyond the iPhone, building major businesses around services, wearables, Apple-designed chips, privacy, health features and global retail.

Apple said Cook will remain closely involved with the company in his new role as Executive Chairman, including engagement with policymakers around the world.

A New Chapter After 15 Years as CEO

Cook joined Apple in 1998 and became CEO in 2011. Under his leadership, Apple introduced major products and services including Apple Watch, AirPods, Apple Vision Pro, Apple Pay, Apple TV+, Apple Music and expanded iCloud services.

Apple also completed one of its most important technology shifts during Cook’s tenure: moving the Mac and other products toward Apple-designed silicon. That transition helped the company improve performance, battery life and efficiency across several product lines.

According to Apple, the company’s market capitalization grew from about $350 billion when Cook became CEO to about $4 trillion, while annual revenue nearly quadrupled from fiscal year 2011 to fiscal year 2025.

John Ternus to Lead Apple’s Next Era

John Ternus has spent more than two decades at Apple and has played a major role in hardware engineering across iPhone, Mac, iPad, AirPods and Apple Watch.

He joined Apple’s product design team in 2001, became a vice president of Hardware Engineering in 2013, and joined Apple’s executive team in 2021.

Apple said Ternus will also join the company’s board of directors on September 1, 2026.

What This Means for Apple

The leadership change comes as Apple faces a new era of competition in artificial intelligence, consumer electronics, global supply chains and digital services.

Cook’s move to Executive Chairman suggests Apple is aiming for continuity rather than a sudden break. Ternus brings deep product and engineering experience, which may become especially important as the company works to strengthen its hardware lineup and compete in emerging technologies.

For consumers, investors and technology watchers, the transition marks the end of Cook’s CEO era but not the end of his role at Apple. His next chapter will be focused on board leadership and broader company support, while Ternus takes charge of day-to-day executive leadership.