In a landmark announcement, Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed he will step down from his role, passing leadership to John Ternus, the company's senior vice president of hardware engineering. This transition, set for September 1st, 2026, marks the end of Cook's 15-year tenure at the helm of the tech giant.
"John Ternus will take over as CEO and join Apple's board of directors on September 1st, 2026," the company confirmed in its official statement.
Cook, who joined Apple in 1998 and succeeded Steve Jobs as CEO in 2011, will remain with the company as executive chairman of Apple's board. His leadership saw Apple become the world's first $3 trillion company and expand its product ecosystem significantly.
Ternus, who has been with Apple since 2001, has played a crucial role in developing key hardware products including the Mac, iPhone, and iPad. His promotion signals Apple's continued focus on hardware innovation as a core business strategy.
In a related leadership change, Apple announced that Johny Srouji, previously senior vice president of hardware technologies, will become the company's chief hardware officer effective immediately. Srouji will assume expanded responsibilities overseeing Apple's hardware development across all product lines.
This leadership transition comes at a pivotal moment for Apple as it navigates increasing competition in artificial intelligence, regulatory challenges, and evolving consumer technology markets. The move represents the first CEO change at Apple since Cook took over from Steve Jobs in 2011.
Industry analysts are watching closely to see how Ternus will shape Apple's future direction, particularly as the company expands into new product categories and services while maintaining its reputation for premium hardware design and integration.