Tim Cook steps down as Apple CEO in September 2026: Key things to know about John Ternus
Last Updated: 2026-04-21 09:25:19
The big day has finally come. Tim Cook, CEO at Apple has announced his decision to step down from the role of leading the tech giant. The new change will come into effect from September 1, 2026 which means the next iPhone 18 series launch event will be hosted by the new chief, John Ternus.
Engineer by profession, Ternus is no stranger at the Cupertino-based giant, and will be spearheading the company into a new era and hopefully building on the massive goodwill that Cook leaves behind with his own stewardship of the company.
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So who is the new incoming Apple CEO John Ternus, what expertise does he bring to the role and what is expected of him in the near future. Here are the key points to know about Ternus and what happens to Cook after the change.
Seamless succession
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Ternus is 50-years-old and has been around at Apple for 25 years which means half of his life has been spent at the company. As an engineer, Ternus has been instrumental in Apple’s switch from Intel to its own silicone for Mac, iPads and even iPhones. He is also slowly being handed the reins for its AI development which is lagging far behind the competition.
Being in the company for over two decades allows Apple to integrate Ternus seamlessly and give him a better chance to fill the big shoes of Tim Cook when he steps down later this year. More importantly, Ternus, at 50, allows Apple to have a younger chief rather than looking outside for someone to come in and take longer to imbibe the Apple culture and methods.
How it started
Ternus joined Apple in 2001 and was part of the team which made monitors in the early phases. He was later promoted to the role of vice president - hardware engineering in 2013, and then part of the executive team in 2021 where his involvement with Cook over product decisions became apparent.
Before Apple, Ternus worked at Virtual Research Systems and was also one of the first to build a virtual reality (VR) headset before it even came into the reckoning.
What to expect
Ternus has been leading the hardware team with some influential decisions and launches over the years. But stepping into the big time as the Apple CEO, where not only the insiders but also the stakeholders and the public will be keeping a close eye, this is a herculean task on his hand that will be tough but exciting to tackle at the same time.
After all, how many times can you say that a person who launches the stand for the Mac is actually going to spearhead Apple into the unknown and hopefully have the company prepared to fight the AI battles and give the world the Siri that everyone has been hoping to see for a long time.