Apple CEO Tim Cook is stepping down

2 hours ago 1

Jay Peters

is a senior reporter covering technology, gaming, and more. He joined The Verge in 2019 after nearly two years at Techmeme.

Apple CEO Tim Cook is stepping down and will be succeeded by John Ternus, currently Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering. Ternus will take over as CEO on September 1st, 2026. Cook will become executive chairman of Apple’s board.

Cook is staying on through the summer as CEO “as he works closely with Ternus on a smooth transition,” according to a press release. “As executive chairman, Cook will assist with certain aspects of the company, including engaging with policymakers around the world.”

Tim Cook:

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.

John Ternus:

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.

Ternus will join Apple’s board of directors on September 1st.

Apple has also named Johny Srouji, previously Apple’s SVP of hardware technologies, as the company’s chief hardware officer, effective immediately. Srouji will “assume an expanded role leading Hardware Engineering, which John Ternus most recently oversaw, as well as the hardware technologies organization,” Apple says.

Cook joined Apple in 1998 and took over as CEO from Steve Jobs in 2011. While at the helm, he oversaw the introduction of products like the Apple Watch, AirPods, Apple Vision Pro, iCloud, and Apple Pay. Cook has also pushed Apple’s growth in services, which Apple says is a “more than $100 billion business.”

Developing…

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