Apple CEO John Ternus Mingles With Stars, Shows Off New iPhone Duo at Emmys
The new Apple chief made a high-profile appearance at the Emmy Awards, drawing attention with an unreleased foldable device.
Mysterious new Apple CEO John Ternus made a notable appearance at the Emmy Awards, generating buzz not only for Apple's significant wins but also for showcasing an unreleased, foldable iPhone Duo. The device, reportedly priced at $1,999, was seen on the red carpet and discussed privately among Hollywood elites.
Ternus attended an Apple party the night before the Emmys, where he mingled with talent and industry figures. Sources indicated that some attendees approached Ternus directly, expressing interest in the new foldable phone. One Hollywood executive described the situation humorously, suggesting that getting one of these early devices was akin to being on an exclusive "Eddy Cue list of illuminati," referencing Apple's senior vice president of services.
On the red carpet, Ternus was filmed by Deadline, pulling the iPhone Duo from his tuxedo jacket. The display reportedly elicited excitement from the reporter and sparked widespread online discussion.
This appearance marked a significant moment for Ternus, who recently took over as CEO from Tim Cook. His relative anonymity in Hollywood had previously raised questions among entertainment industry professionals about his engagement with Apple's streaming service, Apple TV, and its film production arm, Apple Studios. "No one knows him," one entertainment CEO was previously quoted as saying.
However, Apple's dominant performance at the Emmys, securing 28 awards and surpassing Netflix and HBO in wins for the first time since Apple TV's launch in 2019, suggests a strong showing for the company's content. Apple submitted 31 shows for consideration, a smaller number compared to Netflix's 125 and HBO's 86, highlighting a high success rate.
At the awards ceremony, Ternus was observed by some as being "subdued and soaking it in," despite the evening's success for Apple. A TV veteran noted that Ternus's presence and apparent engagement with the event suggested he was invested in the television endeavors. "By all accounts he likes the TV stuff," a source commented.
Apple's streaming division, led by programming head Matt Cherniss and executives Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg, has been credited with the successful run. Shows such as "Widow's Bay," "Slow Horses," and "Pluribus" were among the recipients of awards.
Prior to Ternus's tenure, his predecessor, Tim Cook, was a more frequent presence at Hollywood events, notably launching Apple TV+ in 2019 with a high-profile celebration. Ternus's own attendance and the buzz around the new iPhone could signal a continued or even increased engagement between Apple's leadership and the entertainment industry.