[News] Apple Hardware Chief John Ternus May Become Next CEO as Board Reportedly Prepares for Transition

Who could succeed Tim Cook as Apple’s next CEO? According to The New York Times, Apple began accelerating its succession planning in 2025, with sources saying Cook, now 65, has told senior executives that he wants to scale back his workload. The report indicates that John Ternus, Apple’s head of hardware engineering, has emerged as the leading internal candidate should Cook choose to step aside. In that scenario, Cook is expected to transition into the role of chairman of Apple’s board.

The report also notes that Ternus, now 50, is the same age Cook was when he succeeded Steve Jobs as CEO in 2011. Like Cook, Ternus is widely known for his meticulous attention to detail and his deep understanding of Apple’s vast global supply chain.

Notably, Ternus—the youngest member of Apple’s executive leadership team—would be the company’s first CEO in three decades to have spent his career in hardware. Unlike other potential successors to Cook, he has worked across a broad range of Apple devices as well as the global operations responsible for manufacturing them.

In recent years, the report adds, Ternus has been involved in Apple’s early experimentation with foldable phones. He has also led the development of the iPhone Air, which debuted last year with a slimmer new design, and played a central role in Apple’s 2020 transition from Intel processors to its own in-house chips for Macs.

An episode from 2018 further illustrates Ternus’s decision-making style. As Apple evaluated adding a costly laser component to the iPhone, he suggested limiting it to Pro models—delivering advanced features to the company’s most loyal users while protecting margins, according to the report. The decision encapsulates how Ternus is viewed inside Apple: pragmatic, disciplined, and sharply focused on balancing innovation with profitability.

While John Ternus is widely viewed as a leading successor to Tim Cook, the report notes that Cook has also been preparing several other senior executives as potential replacements. Those under consideration include Craig Federighi, Apple’s head of software; Eddy Cue, who oversees services; Greg Joswiak, the company’s worldwide marketing leader; and Deirdre O’Brien, who runs retail and human resources.

Apple Board Waives Age Rule as Succession Looms

Meanwhile, Apple will hold its annual shareholders meeting virtually on February 24, 2026. Although company guidelines generally bar directors from standing for re-election after age 75, 9to5Mac notes that Apple is waiving the rule for two current board members: Ron Sugar, 77, and chairman Art Levinson, 75. The decision feeds speculation that Tim Cook may eventually move from CEO to chairman, with Apple seeking to keep Levinson in place to preserve continuity.

In addition, 9to5Mac reports that Apple is urging shareholders to reject a proposed “China Entanglement Audit,” arguing that the measure is overly prescriptive and would improperly limit the company’s operational and strategic flexibility.

Read more

• [News] Apple’s COO Retires, Spotlight on Hardware Chief John Ternus as Cook’s Potential Successor
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(Photo credit: Apple)