Overview
- Ternus took over as Apple chief on Tuesday, Sept. 1, with Tim Cook moving into the role of executive chairman to focus on board oversight and external policy work.
- A career Apple engineer who joined the product design team in 2001, Ternus rose to senior vice president of Hardware Engineering in 2021 and holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering rather than an MBA.
- Ternus is known for intense attention to product detail, a trait he illustrated by recounting how he once counted grooves on a display screw late at night to get a part right.
- On his first day as CEO he sent an internal memo and posted “hello” on X, where replies flooded him with consumer requests and design fixes, underscoring public expectations for hardware changes.
- Analysts say Ternus is likely to prioritize material, industrial design and device engineering—he is credited with steering Apple’s M-series chips—while also facing pressure to accelerate Apple’s AI strategy and address supply, organizational and product questions, with an unconfirmed iPhone Fold among the rumors to watch for at the Sept. 9 event.