John Ternus Takes Apple’s Wheel With Tim Cook Still in the Car

John Ternus Takes Apple’s Wheel With Tim Cook Still in the Car
Tuesday: John Ternus formally became Apple’s chief executive, ending Tim Cook’s 15-year run at the helm. Cook moved to executive chairman, with Apple saying he will continue to help handle matters including engagement with policymakers worldwide.

The outgoing CEO struck an optimistic note on his final day, telling the Apple community that while his title was changing, his affection for the company would not: “My gratitude is endless, and I’m excited for the next chapter!” The public mood was warm — Perplexity chief Aravind Srinivas praised Cook for operating at extraordinary scale without allowing Apple’s “bar for excellence” to slip.

In the months before the handover: the transition was already reshaping Apple’s upper ranks. Ternus, 51, began assembling a mix of veteran and new leaders; the company also reorganized its hardware operation, elevating chip chief Johny Srouji and combining teams previously led by Ternus. That comes amid departures to companies including OpenAI, where Apple’s own court filings say more than 400 former employees now work.

For observers, the issue is not merely whether the succession looks orderly, but whether Ternus can make it consequential. Consumer-tech analyst Michael Gartenberg said Apple must confront “what’s next?” and regain the ability to feel “cool” while proving it can still innovate as a multitrillion-dollar company.

Next week: Ternus is expected to face his first major public test with a “huge launch,” putting Apple’s next iPhone event immediately on his watch. A reported foldable iPhone and a renewed push to weave AI throughout Apple’s product line raise the stakes. The harder question may come later: if Ternus wants deeper AI investment, a revived car project or a different future for Vision Pro, can he act freely with Cook still close by?

For now, the new CEO’s first apparent post on X was simply: “hello.”

Continue reading https://foxvector.com/stories/01a0753d-5cb3-1c5e-723c-2907a8950028