GoKawiil"I love Apple, and I consider it the privilege of a lifetime to have worked here for almost 14 years, and I'm very excited about this new role." That's how Tim Cook opened the iPhone 4S event in October 2011, his first product launch as Apple's CEO.
Fifteen years later, we're on the precipice of another landmark Apple event for the chief of one of the world's most iconic and valuable companies. This Worldwide Developers Conference will be Cook's last before he hands over the reins to incoming CEO John Ternus in September, likely just ahead of that month's iPhone event.
There's not really a leadership change playbook at the company, as Cook took over from Steve Jobs as his struggle with pancreatic cancer took a turn for the worse. That makes this moment uncharted territory.
WWDC, Apple's annual software developer conference, has hosted many exciting product launches across the years, from the first iOS to Apple Silicon to Apple Intelligence. It's a moment of hellos, rather than goodbyes -- but this one will be different. As Cook takes the stage, he'll close out a hugely successful era in Apple's history -- one that saw it become a trillion-dollar company, several times over.
"WWDC 2026 carries far more significance than a normal developer conference," said Paolo Pescatore, an analyst at PP Foresight. "As this is Tim Cook's final WWDC as Apple CEO, it is as much a symbolic handover moment as a software showcase."
It's unclear whether Ternus will take the stage at WWDC or delay his public debut as CEO until the rumored iPhone event in September. Ternus has a background in hardware rather than software, so WWDC isn't his natural environment, although he did introduce Apple Silicon at the virtual event during the COVID-19 pandemic. That doesn't mean he won't make an appearance on stage with Cook for a public passing of the baton.
Apple's new CEO John Ternus has appeared at WWDC previously, even though his expertise is in hardware. Apple
Ternus arrives at an important time for the company, said Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight. "If rumors are to be believed, there are a slew of new products to be announced over the next 12 months, which will give him a chance to start his tenure with a bang."
As for what references Cook will make to his departure, he may well downplay its significance rather than want to drag out his final bow. "My expectation is that he will want as little fuss as possible, but will focus on some of the major milestones Apple has achieved under his stewardship," Wood said.
He's also unlikely to want to pull focus too much from WWDC's announcements, which will include updates to Apple's operating systems, including iOS, MacOS, WatchOS and iPadOS, but will also include an expected revamp of Siri.
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