Overview
- Apple’s board and senior executives have recently intensified preparations for a post–Tim Cook transition that could occur as soon as next year, according to the Financial Times.
- Hardware engineering chief John Ternus is widely viewed as the leading internal candidate, though sources say external contenders are also under review.
- Reporting points to an early‑year announcement window to give a new chief time to settle in before WWDC in June and the September iPhone launch.
- Several Apple watchers describe the FT story as a deliberate trial balloon to gauge market reaction, while Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says he does not sense a change is imminent.
- Coverage stresses the process is long‑planned rather than performance‑driven, with Apple expecting record holiday results and considering a scenario where Cook moves into a chairman role.