John Ternus Emerges as Leading Contender to Succeed Tim Cook at Apple [Gurman]

Apple is increasingly positioning hardware engineering chief John Ternus as the eventual successor to CEO Tim Cook, according to a new report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The move comes as a broader changing of the guard gets underway at the top of the company.

While Apple has maintained a stable executive team for years, that is beginning to change with the departure of Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams. Williams, who was once seen as Cook's likely successor, gave up his operations duties in July and is preparing to retire at the end of the year.

Other executives may also be nearing the end of their tenures. The status of AI chief John Giannandrea is reportedly uncertain following struggles with Apple Intelligence and a delayed Siri overhaul. Those issues led Apple to shift some of his responsibilities to other leaders. Gurman adds that Apple has considered hiring a senior AI executive from Meta to eventually replace Giannandrea.


Johny Srouji, who leads Apple's chip division, has reportedly told others he is evaluating his future, though no decision has been made. His department recently unveiled its first in-house cellular modem along with a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip. Lisa Jackson, who oversees environmental and government affairs, has also discussed retirement.

The biggest question remains who will succeed Cook, who turns 65 next month but is expected to remain CEO for at least five more years. With Williams leaving, Ternus has emerged as the leading contender. Gurman notes that at 50, Ternus could lead the company for a decade or more. The board may also favor a product engineering leader after recent stumbles in AI and mixed reality.

Ternus is reportedly well-regarded, trusted by Cook, and has seen his responsibilities grow beyond hardware engineering to include product roadmaps and strategy. Apple also appears to be raising his public profile. Ternus introduced the iPhone Air last month and was on hand at Apple's Regent Street store in London for the iPhone 17 launch.

While Cook remains engaged, Gurman reports that those close to the company see little doubt that Ternus will eventually be CEO.


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