John Ternus Takes Over as Apple CEO, Replacing Tim Cook

John Ternus officially took over as Apple's CEO on Tuesday, September 1, succeeding Tim Cook after his 15-year tenure.

Ternus, previously the senior vice president of hardware engineering, has overseen the development of products including the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, AirPods, and Apple Vision Pro. Cook, who led Apple for 15 years, stated in an X post that he has enormous comfort in Ternus's leadership and will miss the work. Cook's tenure saw Apple's market capitalization grow from approximately $350 billion to $4.6 trillion, with stock prices rising nearly 2,300%.

Ternus, who graduated with a Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1997, joined Apple in 2001. He is described as having the mind of an engineer, the soul of an innovator, and the heart to lead with integrity and with honor. Ternus faces challenges including Apple's position in the artificial intelligence race, where critics argue the company is trailing rivals.

Apple's Siri AI feature was delayed, and the company is reportedly turning to Google's Gemini for its next generation of AI. Ternus will also need to navigate supply chain issues, including a memory chip crunch that has led to price increases on MacBooks and iPads, and manage relationships with policymakers, a role Cook excelled at, particularly with President Donald Trump. Cook will remain at Apple as executive chairman, a position that includes engaging with policymakers around the world.