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John Ternus formally took over as Apple's chief executive today, succeeding Tim Cook after his 15-year run atop the company. Cook now moves into the role of executive chairman, and Ternus is expected to make his first major public appearance as CEO at Apple's launch event next week, where new iPhones and Apple Watches are anticipated.
John Ternus, formerly Apple's senior vice president of hardware engineering, officially took over as CEO on Tuesday after Tim Cook stepped down following 15 years leading the company. Cook, who guided Apple to a $4 trillion valuation, will remain involved as executive chair, and insiders say the leadership shift is expected to bring continuity rather than dramatic change. The transition arrives just over a week before Apple's iPhone launch event on September 9.
Reports ahead of Apple's Sept. 9 event suggest the iPhone 18 Pro's main camera could gain a variable aperture, letting the lens opening physically adjust rather than stay fixed like on the iPhone 17 Pro. Samsung and Xiaomi both tried similar variable-aperture designs in past flagships but later dropped the feature.
Apple's leadership page now lists John Ternus as CEO, with Tim Cook moving into a newly created Executive Chair role on the Board of Directors. The board section has also been redesigned to include headshots for all members, including Cook and Ternus, who joins as a director in his new capacity.
Apple has installed John Ternus, previously its senior vice president of hardware engineering, as chief executive, succeeding Tim Cook as of September 1st. Johny Srouji has been elevated to chief hardware officer as part of the leadership shuffle.
John Ternus took over as Apple's chief executive on September 1, inheriting a fall lineup that includes a foldable iPhone, a new AI-enabled smart display, and an updated Siri platform. He steps into the role while Tim Cook stays on as executive chairman, and while Apple grapples with a memory chip shortage, App Store revenue pressure, staff departures, and an AI program still trailing competitors.
Foldable phones from Samsung, Google, Motorola and Chinese brands still make up only 1.6% of global smartphone shipments despite years of hinge and display improvements, with 19.6 million units shipped last year according to Counterpoint Research. A commentator argues that Apple's expected entry into the foldable market will finally push the category into the mainstream, much as it did with smartwatches and wireless earbuds.
The piece is a fictional 'day one' briefing addressed to Apple's John Ternus, satirizing the company's ongoing struggles across hardware, services and AI. It jokes about delayed Siri upgrades, price hikes on new iPhones, rebranding an AirPods camera as a 'sensor,' low morale on the Vision Pro team, and new EU App Store commission rules taking effect in a month.
Tim Cook has ended his 15-year tenure as Apple's chief executive, handing the role to hardware chief John Ternus. Cook took over from Steve Jobs in 2011 and oversaw major shifts including the expansion of Apple's services division and the move from Intel processors to Apple's own custom silicon in Macs.
Phil Schiller has reportedly stepped down from running Apple's App Store and product launch events, according to Bloomberg, though Apple has not made a formal announcement. He will remain at the company as an Apple Fellow working on unspecified projects, while App Store oversight returns to Eddy Cue, who led it before Schiller took over in 2015.
Apple is set to unveil its first foldable phone, the iPhone Ultra, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro line at next week's event. While earlier rumors suggested a delay into late 2026 or even 2027, the most recent supply chain reports from Weibo leaker Fixed Focus Digital and Cailian News Agency indicate the device remains on track for a September release, though with very constrained initial stock.
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple has internally prototyped and tested an Apple Pencil designed for its upcoming foldable iPhone, reportedly called the iPhone Ultra. However, Gurman says it's unlikely the stylus will be included when the device debuts at Apple's Sept. 9 event, with a shorter 'stubbier' Pencil variant possibly coming later.