Apple announced a significant leadership transition on September 1, 2026, with Tim Cook stepping down as CEO after 15 years at the helm. Cook will assume the role of executive chairman, while John Ternus, the company's respected hardware chief, will take over as chief executive officer. Ternus, 51, has been with Apple for over two decades, most recently serving as senior vice president of hardware engineering.
During Cook's tenure, Apple solidified its position as one of the world's largest and most profitable companies. His leadership saw the introduction of many of the company's iconic products and services. Founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne, Apple's history includes pivotal product launches such as the Apple II in 1977, the Macintosh in 1984, and the iPod in 2001. The iPhone, unveiled in 2007, and the iPad, introduced in 2010, further transformed the consumer electronics landscape.
Cook took over as CEO from Steve Jobs in 2011, following Jobs' resignation due to illness. Jobs passed away later that year. Under Cook's leadership, Apple continued to innovate, releasing products like the Apple Watch in 2014 and Apple Music in 2015. The company also navigated significant challenges, including a legal battle with the FBI in 2016 over unlocking an iPhone and addressing concerns about smartphone addiction with features in iOS 12 in 2018. In January 2019, Apple reported its first revenue and profit decline in a decade, partly attributed to sales in China. The company also responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by closing its retail stores outside of China in March 2020. More recently, Apple has focused on environmental goals, with Cook declaring a carbon-neutral objective for Earth Day in 2021, and ventured into artificial intelligence with the release of Apple Intelligence in 2024.