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Tim Cook exit rumors: John Ternus set to take over as new Apple CEO? What we know
Apple is reportedly preparing for CEO Tim Cook’s eventual retirement, with hardware chief John Ternus lined up as his likely successor, per Bloomberg.
Tech giant Apple has reportedly planned a successor for current CEO Tim Cook as rumors around his retirement swirl. According to a report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple has reportedly begun the transition process, with the top executive preparing for a leadership change soon.
Tim Cook took over the reins of Apple on August 24, 2021, after Steve Jobs stepped down from the role. At the helm of Apple for more than 14 years, Cook's departure, if and when it happens, will be one of the major shake-ups to happen to the leadership of a tech company is recent times.
Additionally, Mark Gurman also revealed that Apple has already lined up a replacement for Cook in the form of John Ternus, Apple's senior vice president of hardware engineering. Ternus has been a key part of Apple, joining the company in 2001, and overseeing the designs of all major products, including the iPad, iPhone, and Macs. He became vice president in 2021.
Why Did Apple Choose Joh Ternus
The decision to choose Ternus as possibly Apple's next CEO comes amid other contenders leaving the fray due to various reasons. Jeff Williams, former COO and a leading contender to succeed Cook, left the company in July 2025.
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Former marketing chief Phil Schiller and former Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri have stayed back with the company in less active roles. While they were initially viewed as possible successors, the company reportedly wants to move to a stable leadership, which they believe executives who have departed will not be able to provide.
Johny Srouji, Apple's senior vice president of hardware technologies and the executive behind its custom A-series and M-series chips, as well as John Giannandrea, Apple's senior vice president of machine learning and AI strategy, were also believed to be in the fray. But Srouji is said to be "evaluating his future, while the company reportedly plans a more robust role for Giannandrea in the AI department.
It reportedly led Apple to 50-year-old Ternus, who is strongly integrated into the company and is of the same age as Tim Cook when he took over Apple in 2011.
