Ternus Era Begins at Apple: John Takes Over as CEO Amidst Challenging Times

Tim Cook stepped down as Apple's CEO on September 1, after guiding the company to become the largest US company by market cap. He was succeeded by John Ternus, who has been the company's hardware engineering chief since 2021.

Ternus takes over at a challenging time for Apple, with weak revenue and earnings growth, tariff exposure, memory-driven cost pressures, and signs that Apple lags in its AI offerings.

Some analysts see Ternus' appointment as recognition that Apple's edge lies in building the best devices for running AI rather than building the models itself. The company is set to introduce a foldable iPhone at its mid-September launch, with many expecting it to be the first product under Ternus' leadership.

The move was announced in April, giving Apple a long runway to manage the transition smoothly.