Apple's Ternus Era Begins: iPhone 18 Pro and Foldable iPhone Ultra Unveiling on September 9

Apple's leadership has officially transitioned to John Ternus on September 1, 2026, marking the start of his tenure as CEO. This comes after a unanimous board vote in April 2026, where Ternus was chosen to succeed Tim Cook.

Ternus brings over 25 years of experience at Apple, having led the company's hardware engineering division for the past five years and overseeing the Apple Silicon transition. He will now take on the responsibility of leading Apple's product development and strategy.

The company is set to unveil its latest iPhone models, including the iPhone 18 Pro and a foldable iPhone Ultra, at an event scheduled for September 9. The latter is expected to have a starting price of around $1,999, with some configurations reaching up to $2,500. Analysts predict that the stock will maintain its current momentum, but there are risks associated with holding a concentrated position in AAPL.

Historically, CEO transitions at megacap tech companies have resulted in varying returns for investors. The Motley Fool analyzed four such cases and found that the starting valuation of the company was more significant than the individual leading it. In Apple's case, its premium multiple rests on the assumption that new hardware categories will drive a fresh upgrade cycle.