Apple CEO John Ternus Pushes Faster Launches, Leaner Management [Report]

Apple CEO John Ternus is considering more frequent product launches and fewer management layers just weeks into the job, according to Bloomberg. The wider overhaul is still taking shape, but cuts to hardware engineering program managers have already begun. Apple declined to comment.

Ternus succeeded Tim Cook as CEO on September 1 after years leading hardware engineering. He wants to rely less on Apple's familiar fall and spring launch windows and introduce new devices throughout the year. The 2027 pipeline includes camera-equipped AirPods, Apple's first smart glasses and a redesigned iPhone for the device's 20th anniversary. He has also urged teams to move faster and experiment more, though employees caution that changing Apple's development practices could take years.

The management changes are more immediate. Over the past two weeks, hardware engineering has dismissed several engineering program managers, who manage schedules and coordinate work across teams. Roughly half a dozen directors were among those affected. They have weeks to find other jobs at Apple or face layoffs later this year. While leading the division, Ternus had argued that Apple should hire fewer people, ask more of its existing engineers and reduce organizational bloat.

Smaller layoffs have also hit the Siri, Vision Pro and AI software teams, along with a few Fitness+ roles. Apple has moved to cancel or scale back less essential projects earlier in development.

A much larger proposal was put on hold. Over the summer, Apple considered cutting about 5,000 AppleCare customer-service jobs on the expectation that AI-powered phone and web agents could take on some of the work. It is not currently pursuing that plan. Some employees nevertheless expect further layoffs after proposed 2027 budget increases were reduced in certain divisions, staffing plans held flat and marketing spending trimmed.

Ternus is also looking for new services and more revenue from existing products with services chief Eddy Cue and Chief Financial Officer Kevan Parekh. Services revenue fell from the previous quarter in June for the first time since 2022, although it was up from a year earlier and set a record for the June quarter.

Managers in product-development groups are being pushed to deliver more products, more frequently and on shorter timelines. "It's hectic right now," one person familiar with the changes said.