Overview
- Apple accelerated CEO succession discussions last year, with sources telling The New York Times that Cook, 65, told senior leaders he is tired and wants to reduce his workload.
- If Cook steps down, he is likely to become chairman of Apple’s board, according to people close to the company cited by the NYT.
- While John Ternus is described as the front-runner, other internal contenders under consideration include Craig Federighi, Eddy Cue, Greg Joswiak, and Deirdre O’Brien, following executive turnover such as COO Jeff Williams’s 2025 retirement.
- Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering, oversees iPhone, iPad, Mac, and AirPods, and is credited in reporting with cost‑minded product calls like limiting LiDAR to Pro iPhones, leading Apple’s shift to its own Mac chips, the iPhone Air effort, and involvement in foldable phone exploration.
- Reporting characterizes Ternus as a steady, engineering‑driven leader with limited policy exposure, as prediction markets place his implied odds above 60%, yet Apple has announced no decision or timeline.