John Ternus succeeds Tim Cook as Apple CEO

techAug 31, 2026361,048

John Ternus will succeed Tim Cook as Apple CEO on September 1, 2026, ending Cook’s nearly 15-year tenure. Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering, is described by AppleInsider and Fortune as a low-key operator with a track record of building successful products. Publications say Ternus inherits immediate pressure: within a week he must unveil a foldable iPhone Ultra and demonstrate that Apple can still deliver surprises as competitors push AI-driven features. Fortune frames the larger challenge as defining Apple’s next era in artificial intelligence, a task many see as bigger than product execution alone. Bloomberg and other outlets note the leadership turnover includes visible changes beneath the CEO level, with Phil Schiller stepping back from App Store and product event duties as part of the company’s changing of the guard.

Anil Dash

@anildash.com

On Tim Cook's last day as Apple CEO, a reminder of how he destroyed his own legacy, which at one point was a striking contrast to Jobs' unwillingness to let Apple engage with any social issues. Now, all of that good work, and good will... squandered. www.anildash.com/2025/09/09/h...

27444d ago

Thor Benson25

Steve Jobs would have punched today's Tim Cook in the mouth

Trevor Pierce3

That’s how a takedown is done.

Ed F Types3

And Apple's staff of henchmen eagerly came along for the ride. They were only ever in it for the money, so none of it particularly challenged them at all.

rclyde.bsky.social1

He should have thought about what Steve would have done~~

rahaeli1

Do you want to know about the bug where I can't dismiss the citation box with the close button because I'm running an ancient version of mobile Safari or no?

Phenobarbarella1

No love for IBM on their collaboration (or at least willingness to do business) with Nazi Germany, but the mainframe era didn’t begin until the 1950s. The stuff in the 30s and 40s was punch-card based, IIRC.

Quoting this

Chance Shirley87

‘There's no point in having fuck-you money in the bank if you never say "fuck you"!’

John Clark2

"There's no point in having fuck-you money in the bank if you never say 'fuck you'!"

Karl Bode

@karlbode.com

Outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook is not interesting or innovative and has shown zero backbone in the face of fascism, but that's why he was SECRETLY SO AWESOME

PC Mag headline: "Tim Cook is No Steve Jobs, But That's His Secret Weapon"

20745d ago

Karl Bode83

I was, and will always be, a Woz fan

Katie Stone7

His “secret weapon” was releasing buggy products - very much unlike Steve Jobs. The stupid bugs you face on your iPhone? Thank Tim Cook and his low bar for quality control. 🪫 Also he caved early and repeatedly to the fascist directives from the admin.

Buck5

"He gets on his knees faster than any CEO we've ever seen! What an amazing leader!!"

Michael3

Certainly the least innovative CEO Apple has had but when Steve Jobs is your competition ...

Michael Planey2

I know it seems ridiculous, but whether or not Apple Maps changes the name of Lake Ontario to “Lake America” is actually some kind of litmus test for incoming CEO John Ternus’s first day on the job.

Andre Kenji de Sousa2

I think that he is boringness(Unwillingness to go after AI) might pay off to their shareholders.

Mark Gurman

@markgurman.bsky.social

NEW: Phil Schiller, one of its most important and visible executives during both the Jobs and Cook eras, is stepping down from his role leading the App Store and product launch events in Apple’s major changing of the guard. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

9945d ago

Quoting this

Public Universal Girlfriend7

Is this the guy who killed Tumblr and started the downhill trajectory of the Internet

The Verge

@theverge.com

Today is Tim Cook's last day as Apple's CEO, but he’s sticking around to deal with thorny political relationships — in particular the one with President Donald Trump.

6745d ago

Papakila (Chief Chief Antifa)3

He will be replaced by his brother Tom Apple

Lemongrasshopper2

Didn't they already announce his shift to chief corruption officer a couple months ago?

jeffreylygon.bsky.social2

Forever ruined his reputation and legacy by aligning himself with Republican Nazi domestic terrorists.

Dharwin 🇨🇭1

He has skills as a dipshit whisperer.

Tommy1

Have to imagine it's so the new guy isn't tainted from day 1

Gutt “EPSTEIN” Levy1

Quitting except for the fascism

Basic Apple Guy

@basicappleguy.com

Got my hands on the final Apple product released during the Tim Cook Era.

8945d ago

Dawna and RealMonkeyCat

@dawna9.bsky.social

As of September 1, 2026, APPLE will have a new CEO. Let’s hope he doesn’t fold like Tim Cook. Let’s hope he’s a independent and yes, brilliant thinker like Steve Jobs.

3544d ago

Sean Hollister

@seanhollister.bsky.social

Not just Tim Cook: Phil Schiller stepping back at Apple too. End of an era. www.theverge.com/tech/986869/...

3444d ago

Quoting this

Stuart Langridge3

awh, I thought they were going to wait for @brucel.bsky.social and me to announce our new positions of leadership at Apple but looks like they jumped the gun

Zack Whittaker

@zackwhittaker.com

When I think of Tim Cook's legacy, I immediately think about him cozying up to Trump for no good reason other than spineless capitulation, as perfectly captured in @karlbode.com's latest. Sure, he did alright on Apple v. FBI, but when you're friendly with fascists, how longer will that fight hold?

3044d ago

R. Lupmet1

He was pretty quick to bend the knee, they are sufficiently lawyered up to be dragging their feet and wait a bit. There were zero reason to make some golden award, but OTOH he was (AFAIK) very used to do business in China, and that means bribes and being chummy.

Heather e^-1/x^21

I was just talking to someone the other day about the enshitification of the iPhone since Jobs’ death. The capitulation and ass-kissing of Trump means Tim Cook will also fade into history as a spineless enabler.

Quoting this

CaffeineIsLife7

Ya, my view of Apple is pretty wrecked now due to Tim's snuggling up to the fascists. It's not going to go back either.😠

kingbradentucky.bsky.social3

Tim Apple is a shitbag. That's his legacy.

CNN

@cnn.com

When Tim Cook became Apple’s CEO in August 2011, he had big shoes to fill. His predecessor, Steve Jobs, was widely considered one of the world’s greatest innovators. https://cnn.it/4qJDPz0

2245d ago

Rabun Person4

Fascinating. Instead of this sort of navel gazing how about do an article on Mitch McConnell, a freaking US Senator, disappearing for over 76 days. That seems important. Even for journalists.

Tim W. ☮️3

Jobs was an innovator, Cook is a businessman. Big difference.

ned4477.bsky.social2

It helps to take over a successful, global business as your starting point.

Mohammads profits1

I just want to know where Maxine Waters has been.

It’s John1

by debasing himself in the oval office by giving Trump gold

Thor Benson

@thorbenson.bsky.social

Steve Jobs would have punched today's Tim Cook in the mouth

2544d ago

Sister of Wendy #AbolishICE 🐸

@sisterswendy.bsky.social

But of course. Tim Cook has a history of bowing down to that orange dementia patient. 🤮

1544d ago

AppleInsider

@appleinsider.com

For one more day, Tim Cook is still the CEO of Apple. Despite foibles, he was the right man in the right place to make Apple the financial and cultural juggernaut it is today. John Ternus is too.

1945d ago