Apple CEO Tim Cook Hands Reins to John Ternus Amid AI Era Challenges

Tim Cook's tenure as Apple CEO has come to an end after 15 years, during which he transformed the company from a $350 billion behemoth into a $4.5 trillion giant.

Cook will step down and become executive chairman on September 1, passing the baton to John Ternus, who will lead Apple in the AI era.

Under Cook's leadership, Apple's annual sales rose from $108 billion to $416 billion, with profit growing more than fourfold to $112 billion. The company also expanded its wearables business, which brought in $35 billion in sales in fiscal 2025.

Critics have accused Apple of losing its innovation edge during Cook's tenure, but the CEO has focused on making the company's supply chain the envy of every manufacturer and turning the iPhone user base into a recurring revenue machine.