John Ternus officially began his duties as executive president of Apple on September 1, 2026, inheriting a technology giant that leads the smartphone market, but faces a competitive scenario in the area of artificial intelligence. His rise marks the beginning of a new phase for the company, as it seeks to define its future strategy in this rapidly evolving field.
The transition in leadership and the profile of Apple’s new CEO
The change in Apple’s management ends Tim Cook’s 15 years at the helm. John Ternus, a 51-year-old engineer, joined the company’s design team in 2001 and rose to become senior vice president of hardware engineering, reporting directly to Cook. He is responsible for the engineering teams behind Apple’s entire product line, including iPhones, which generate the majority of the company’s revenue.
Ternus will have little time to adapt, as Apple will hold its annual iPhone event on September 9, when it is expected to reveal its first foldable device. Analyst Dan Ives of Yorkville Ives & Co. assessed that “Tim Cook left the company in phenomenal order,” but now the focus is on “Ternus defining the artificial intelligence chapter.”
The challenge of artificial intelligence and the focus on hardware
The selection of Ternus, a hardware expert, raises debate about Apple’s best approach to catching up to its rivals in artificial intelligence. Some analysts argued that software chief Craig Federighi would be a more logical choice for the area. However, Carolina Milanesi, an analyst at Creative Strategies, argues that this view may not understand the way consumers interact with technology.
“Consumers still buy hardware first, and this will continue for a long time,” Milanesi explained. She added that “you won’t discover the value of artificial intelligence if there is no interest in the hardware.” Tim Cook, in a final memo to employees, reinforced this perspective, stating that “few people understand what it takes to build world-changing products like John does.”
Geopolitics and dependence on the Chinese supply chain
One of the biggest challenges for Ternus will be balancing Apple’s heavy dependence on China while also dealing with political pressure from the White House. The company’s manufacturing operation is one of the most complex in corporate history, a vast network of hundreds of suppliers and assembly lines that Cook painstakingly built over decades.
In recent years, Cook has begun to diversify some production to other countries, such as assembling iPhones in India and other operations in Vietnam. However, this diversification has been gradual, and China, one of Apple’s largest consumer markets, is still fundamental to the system. The political terrain, which Cook knew how to navigate masterfully, will be a new area of learning for Ternus.
Tim Cook’s future role at Apple
Tim Cook will not completely move away from Apple. He will assume the role of executive chairman of the company’s board on the same date, with a mandate that includes engagement with policymakers around the world. Milanesi calls this organization “very clever,” arguing that the arrangement frees Ternus from a role that Cook managed alone for many years.
The September 9 iPhone launch event will be the first public assessment of the leadership transition. A foldable iPhone would represent Apple’s most significant redesign in years, and Ternus will be the face of that innovation, just eight days after taking over as CEO.
