Apple CEO Tim Cook Stepping Down, John Ternus Taking Over

Monday April 20, 2026 1:33 pm PDT by Juli CloverApple CEO Tim Cook is stepping down as Apple's chief executive officer, and hardware engineering chief John Ternus is set to take over, Apple announced today.Cook will continue on as Apple CEO through the summer, with Ternus set to join Apple's Board of Directors and take over as CEO on September 1, 2026. Cook is going to transition to chairman of the board at Apple, and he will "assist with certain aspects of the company, including engaging with policymakers around the world."In a statement, Cook said that his time as Apple's CEO has been the "greatest privilege" of his life. It has been the greatest privilege of my life to be the CEO of Apple and to have been trusted to lead such an extraordinary company. I love Apple with all of my being, and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with a team of such ingenious, innovative, creative, and deeply caring people who have been unwavering in their dedication to enriching the lives of our customers and creating the best products and services in the world. John Ternus has the mind of an engineer, the soul of an innovator, and the heart to lead with integrity and with honor. He is a visionary whose contributions to Apple over 25 years are already too numerous to count, and he is without question the right person to lead Apple into the future. I could not be more confident in his abilities and his character, and I look forward to working closely with him on this transition and in my new role as executive chairman.Ternus said that he is optimistic about what Apple can achieve in the years to come. I am profoundly grateful for this opportunity to carry Apple's mission forward. Having spent almost my entire career at Apple, I have been lucky to have worked under Steve Jobs and to have had Tim Cook as my mentor. It has been a privilege to help shape the products and experiences that have changed so much of how we interact with the world and with one another. I am filled with optimism about what we can achieve in the years to come, and I am so happy to know that the most talented people on earth are here at Apple, determined to be part of something bigger than any one of us.

I am humbled to step into this role, and I promise to lead with the values and vision that have come to define this special place for half a century.Apple says that the transition was approved by the Board of Directors and is the result of a "thoughtful, long-term succession planning process." The current board chair, Arthur Levinson, will become the lead independent director on the board.Popular StoriesApple CEO Candidate John Ternus is 'Well-Liked' and Helped Reverse 'Declining Product Quality'In an in-depth article for Bloomberg Businessweek today, Mark Gurman profiled Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus, who is widely viewed as the leading candidate to become Apple's next CEO whenever Tim Cook decides to step down. The article is very long, so we recommend reading it in full, but a few of the key takeaways are that Ternus is apparently "well-liked among Apple's...Apple CEO Tim Cook Explains His Relationship With TrumpApple's CEO Tim Cook has maintained a working relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump, and he touched on that in a recent interview. Cook sat down with Esquire's Ryan D'Agostino to discuss Apple's 50th anniversary, but he was also asked about how he navigates the Trump administration. Cook responded by saying that "the Trump administration is very accessible." "So you can talk...Tim Cook Says iPhone Launch Was His Favorite Apple Moment in 50th Anniversary InterviewWednesday April 1, 2026 3:21 pm PDT by Juli CloverFor its 50th anniversary celebration, Apple invited The Wall Street Journal's Ben Cohen to Apple Park to meet up with Apple CEO Tim Cook. Cohen and Cook took a look at rare archival materials from the early days of Apple, some of which Cook wasn't even familiar with. Cook said that he had seen a lot of the devices for the first time while preparing for Apple's 50th anniversary. Items on...