Apple CEO Tim Cook is set to step down from his position on September 1, 2026, ending a 15-year tenure at the helm of the technology giant.
Apple’s Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, John Ternus, will succeed Cook as CEO, while Cook will become executive chairman of Apple’s board of directors.
The leadership transition was approved unanimously by Apple’s board and follows a long-term succession planning process, according to the company.
Ternus will also join Apple’s board when he assumes the CEO position, while Arthur Levinson, who has served as the company’s chairman for the past 15 years, will become lead independent director.
Cook became Apple’s CEO in August 2011, succeeding co-founder Steve Jobs. Before becoming CEO, he had spent more than a decade at Apple, joining the company in 1998 and rising through its operations and sales divisions.
His tenure was marked by the expansion of Apple beyond the iPhone and Mac into a broader ecosystem of hardware, software and services.
During Cook’s leadership, Apple introduced products including the Apple Watch, AirPods and Vision Pro, while expanding services such as Apple Music and Apple TV+.
Apple also significantly expanded its global scale under Cook. The company’s market value has risen by more than 2,000% during his tenure, reaching about $4 trillion, while its installed base has grown to more than 2.5 billion active devices globally.
Cook’s leadership was also closely associated with Apple’s supply-chain strategy. His operations background helped the company scale manufacturing and manage a complex global supplier network as demand for its devices increased.
However, Apple enters the leadership transition at a time when the technology industry is undergoing another major shift, particularly around artificial intelligence.
The company has faced growing pressure to accelerate its AI strategy as rivals including Google, Microsoft and OpenAI have moved aggressively to develop and deploy generative AI technologies.
Ternus, who joined Apple in 2001 and became senior vice president of Hardware Engineering in 2021, has overseen hardware development across several of the company’s major product lines. Apple said his technical expertise and focus on product development were among the reasons he was selected to succeed Cook.
His appointment also comes just days before Apple’s next major product launch event, scheduled for September 9, which will be the first major iPhone event under his leadership.
Apple is expected to unveil its latest iPhone lineup at the event, with reports also pointing to a possible foldable iPhone as the company looks to enter a segment currently led by rivals such as Samsung.
Cook, however, will remain involved in the company as executive chairman. Apple said he will assist with certain aspects of the business, including engagement with policymakers around the world.
The transition therefore marks a change in Apple’s day-to-day leadership rather than Cook’s complete departure from the company.
