02.09.2026 14:31
The 15-year Tim Cook era at technology giant Apple has officially ended. John Ternus, a key figure in the company's hardware division, has taken the CEO seat in Cook's place, while Cook will continue to serve as Chairman of the Board at Apple.
An era has officially ended at Apple, one of the world's largest technology companies. Tim Cook, who took over as CEO in 2011 following Steve Jobs, has handed over his role to John Ternus after 15 years.
The previously announced leadership change took effect as of September 1, with John Ternus now taking his place as CEO on Apple's official executive team.
THE 15-YEAR TIM COOK ERA ENDS
Tim Cook became Apple's CEO in August 2011, succeeding Steve Jobs. During the 15 years under Cook's leadership, Apple became one of the world's most valuable companies.
During Cook's tenure, new products such as the Apple Watch, AirPods, and Apple Vision Pro were launched, while services like Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Pay, and iCloud became significant revenue sources for the company.
Apple also underwent a major hardware transformation during this period, transitioning its Mac computers from Intel processors to its own Apple Silicon chips.
APPLE'S VALUE REACHED TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS
Apple's market value, which stood at approximately $350 billion when Cook became CEO in 2011, reached trillions of dollars during his tenure.
The company's annual revenue also rose from about $108 billion in 2011 to surpass $400 billion in recent years. Apple's number of active devices worldwide exceeded 2.5 billion.
JOHN TERNUS BECOMES THE NEW CEO
Apple's new CEO, John Ternus, is known as one of the most prominent executives to rise within the company. Joining Apple in 2001, Ternus served for many years in the company's hardware engineering division.
Working as Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering since 2021, Ternus played key roles in the development of many products, including the iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, and Apple Watch.
TIM COOK IS NOT LEAVING APPLE
Tim Cook, who handed over the CEO position, is not completely severing ties with Apple. Cook will continue to serve as the company's Chairman of the Board.
In his new role, Cook is expected to support new CEO John Ternus, particularly in relations with policymakers worldwide and on some strategic matters for the company.
THE NEW CEO FACES AN AI TEST
John Ternus took over Apple's leadership during a period of major transformation in the technology sector. Artificial intelligence constitutes one of the most significant issues ahead of the company.
With Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, and other technology companies accelerating their investments in artificial intelligence, how Apple will navigate competition in this field will be closely monitored.
Thus, as the Tim Cook era, which began after Steve Jobs and saw him lead the company for 15 years, comes to a close, the John Ternus era has officially begun at the tech giant.