Tim Cook resigns, John Ternus appointed
Apple has announced that Tim Cook will step down as CEO and that John Tarnas will take over as CEO on September 1, subject to board approval.
Apple announced in a news release on April 20 that Tim Cook will step down as CEO and be replaced by John Ternas, senior vice president of hardware engineering.
Cook will remain CEO until September 1, when Tarnas will take over, according to the release. The company said the leadership changes were the result of a “thoughtful and long-term succession planning process.”
If the change is approved unanimously by Apple’s board of directors, he will become executive chairman of the company’s board.
“Becoming CEO of Apple and being trusted to lead such an extraordinary company has been the greatest privilege of my life,” Cook said in a release.
Mr. Cook became CEO of the tech giant in 2011 and oversaw the company’s expansion into wearable technology and artificial intelligence into a multibillion-dollar company.
Ternus, who joined Apple in 2001, has most recently overseen the company’s hardware engineering efforts and played a key role in reigniting sales of products such as Apple’s Mac computers, which have gained market share in recent years. Cook described Ternas as having “the heart of an engineer” and “the soul of an innovator.”
“Having spent almost my entire career at Apple, I was fortunate to work for Steve Jobs and have Tim Cook as a mentor,” Ternas said in a release. “I am committed to leading with the values and vision that have defined this special place for half a century.”
Cook’s resignation is a surprise.
Many on Wall Street had expected Mr. Tarnas to eventually replace Mr. Cook as CEO, but analysts said the timing of the announcement was surprising.
Just last month, Cook denied rumors that he was planning to retire on “Good Morning America.” “No, I didn’t say that,” he said. “I never said that. I absolutely love what I do. 28 years ago, I joined Apple, and I’ve loved every day since.”
The announcement also comes before Apple’s quarterly earnings report on Thursday, April 30, which some analysts say could draw more attention than usual.
Dan Ives, Wedbush’s global head of technology research, wrote of X: “While the timing of Cook’s departure as CEO may make sense, it does raise questions.” “Apple is making a major shift in its AI strategy, and it’s surprising to see legendary long-time CEO Cook stepping down now.”
Apple’s AI struggles
Apple, which turned 50 this year, has struggled to show it can remain a technology powerhouse in the age of artificial intelligence, as software rivals Alphabet and Microsoft have spent tens of billions of dollars to take the lead.
At the end of 2025, Apple’s head of artificial intelligence, John Gianandrea, suddenly left the company.
Apple recently decided to use Google’s Gemini to power Apple models instead of developing its own in-house AI models. Apple also said that Google’s artificial intelligence “will help power future Apple Intelligence features,” such as a more personalized Siri. Apple has delayed improvements to Siri’s AI several times in the past.
However, given Ternus’ background in hardware engineering, some Apple watchers speculated that the move was less an AI effort and more a return to developing great Apple products.
One Reddit poster wrote: “Tim Cook completely blew the company away with supply chain diversification, custom silicon development with M-series chips, etc. But the old Apple magic of creating breakthrough hardware products needs to come back.” “I hope the new guys focus on developing new and great hardware like they used to. There may be a generational opportunity to develop new consumer hardware for the AI era, and Apple may shape it the way it defined the smartphone market with the iPhone.”
Cook’s legacy
No matter what Ternas focuses on, he will have big challenges ahead of him. During Mr. Cook’s 15 years at the top, Apple’s market capitalization increased more than 1,000 percent to about $4 trillion, second only to semiconductor giant Nvidia.
The company has expanded its global footprint, particularly in emerging markets, and is now present in more than 200 countries and territories. Apple’s annual revenue nearly quadrupled from $108 billion in 2011, when Cook took over as CEO from co-founder Steve Jobs, to more than $416 billion in 2025.
This story has been updated to add new information.
Contributed by: Reuters
