Apple's next CEO race: Tim Cook wants out; this engineer may take over the company
Apple's CEO Tim Cook, at 65, is reportedly seeking to reduce his workload, prompting an accelerated search for his successor. Hardware chief John Ternus, 50, has emerged as a leading contender, lauded for his meticulous approach and deep supply chain knowledge.
Apple's CEO Tim Cook, at 65, is reportedly seeking to reduce his workload, prompting an accelerated search for his successor. Hardware chief John Ternus, 50, has emerged as a leading contender, lauded for his meticulous approach and deep supply chain knowledge.
Apple has accelerated its search for Tim Cook's successor after the 65-year-old CEO told senior leaders he's tired and wants to reduce his workload, according to a New York Times report.
The 65-year-old CEO, who's led the company since Steve Jobs stepped down in 2011, is expected to move into a board chairman position rather than retire completely.John Ternus, Apple's 50-year-old hardware chief, has quietly become the favorite to take over. He's spent 24 years at Apple working his way up from designing Mac screens to running the entire hardware division. Like Cook, Ternus is known for sweating the small stuff and knowing Apple's sprawling Asian supply chain inside out.
Both men share a reputation for staying calm under pressure and not stepping on toes in Apple's famously bureaucratic culture.
Apple's hardware boss learned to balance innovation with the bottom line
Ternus made his mark with decisions that balanced innovation against profit margins. Around 2018, when Apple considered adding LiDAR sensors to iPhones, the $40-per-device cost seemed steep. Ternus pushed to limit it to Pro models, betting that Apple's hardcore fans would pay extra for better cameras and AR features while regular buyers wouldn't miss it.
He's also behind the thin iPhone Air that launched last year and led the risky but successful switch from Intel to Apple's own Mac chips in 2020.
Questions remain about whether Apple needs a manager or a visionary
Other names in the mix include software boss Craig Federighi, services chief Eddy Cue, marketing head Greg Joswiak, and retail leader Deirdre O'Brien. Apple's board will make the final call.The bigger question is what kind of leader Apple needs now. Cook turned the company into a profit machine with predictable yearly updates, while Jobs bet big on moonshot products. "If you want to make an iPhone every year, Ternus is your guy," said former Apple engineering manager Cameron Rogers—a compliment that also hints at concerns about his creative vision. Whoever lands the job faces tough challenges: Trump's chaotic tariffs, dependence on Chinese factories, and playing catch-up in AI while competitors pour billions into the technology.