John Ternus is now Apple’s chief executive, ending Tim Cook’s 15-year run as CEO and putting a veteran hardware engineer in charge just days before Apple’s September 9 product event. Cook has moved to the newly created role of executive chairman, while Ternus inherits a company worth more than $4.5 trillion that is under pressure to prove it can translate its hardware strength into a stronger position in artificial intelligence.
Apple announced the succession in April and said the change would take effect on September 1. The company’s leadership pages now list Ternus as CEO, while Cook remains involved as executive chairman, including work with policymakers. Apple’s official succession announcement confirms the transition date and the board’s unanimous approval.
The short answer: Ternus officially became Apple CEO on September 1, 2026. His first major product event as CEO is scheduled for September 9. Apple has confirmed the event, but it has not officially announced the full product lineup. According to a staff memo obtained by 9to5Mac, Ternus called the coming launch “phenomenal” and pointed to more products already in development.
What is confirmed and what is still reported?
| Detail | Status | What we know |
|---|---|---|
| CEO transition | Confirmed | John Ternus became Apple CEO on September 1, 2026; Tim Cook became executive chairman. |
| September event | Confirmed | Apple will hold a special event on September 9 at 10 a.m. PT. |
| Ternus memo | Reported | Multiple outlets obtained a staff memo in which Ternus called the coming launch “phenomenal.” |
| New iPhone models | Expected | Apple has not yet confirmed the full September 9 product lineup. |
| Foldable iPhone | Rumored | Reports expect a foldable iPhone, but Apple has not announced one. |
Ternus starts with an unusually visible first week
Ternus did not arrive as an outsider. He joined Apple’s product design team in 2001, became a hardware engineering vice president in 2013 and joined the executive team in 2021. Before becoming CEO, he oversaw hardware engineering across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, AirPods and other products. Apple has since moved hardware leadership to Johny Srouji, who is now chief hardware officer.
His first company-wide memo immediately turned attention to products. According to a copy published by 9to5Mac, Ternus told staff that Apple has a “huge launch next week” that will be “phenomenal” and said he is equally excited about products already in the works. Read the reported Ternus staff memo.
Apple itself has confirmed only the event timing. The official Apple Events page lists a special event for September 9 at 10 a.m. PT. That distinction matters because reports about a foldable iPhone and other hardware remain expectations until Apple announces them on stage.
AI is the most immediate strategic test
Ternus takes over a company that is financially larger than at any previous leadership transition, but the competitive question has shifted. Reuters reported that Apple’s products have lagged rivals in some AI capabilities and highlighted delays to the Siri overhaul as a major challenge for the new CEO. Reuters’ analysis of the Apple leadership handover also points to AI and manufacturing diversification as two of the biggest tests facing Ternus.
The challenge is not simply to add more AI features. Apple has to show how AI improves the devices and services people already use, while protecting the privacy and ecosystem advantages that have helped keep customers inside its platform. For a CEO whose career was built around hardware engineering, that creates a clear question: can Apple turn its control of chips, devices, operating systems and services into a differentiated AI experience?
What Tim Cook leaves behind
Cook leaves the CEO role with Apple dramatically larger than when he took over in 2011. Reuters puts Apple’s market value at more than $4.5 trillion, compared with roughly $350 billion when Cook became CEO. Annual sales rose from $108 billion at the start of his tenure to $416 billion in the latest fiscal year, while profit grew to $112 billion.
Cook also pushed Apple beyond dependence on a single hardware sale. Services became a recurring-revenue engine built around a huge installed device base, while Apple Watch and AirPods created major new hardware categories. At the same time, Apple faced criticism over slower progress in AI, the cancelled car project and the limited commercial impact of Vision Pro.
Supply chain pressure will not disappear with the CEO change
Ternus also inherits the geopolitical problem Cook spent years managing. Apple still depends heavily on Asian manufacturing, especially China, even as it expands production in India and Vietnam. Reuters reported that Apple expects most U.S.-bound iPhones to be made in India by the end of 2026, while some AirPods and iPads are assembled in Vietnam.
Cook’s move to executive chairman gives Apple continuity in that area. Apple said he will continue supporting parts of the business, including engagement with policymakers around the world. That could leave Ternus more room to focus on products, engineering and long-term platform strategy while Cook remains available on policy and government relations.
Why the September 9 event matters
The September event will be watched as more than a routine iPhone launch. It is Ternus’s first major product event as CEO and an early opportunity to set the tone for his leadership. Apple has not confirmed the full lineup, so the safest expectation is simple: the company will reveal new products, while a staff memo obtained by 9to5Mac shows Ternus has raised internal expectations for the launch.
The bigger test comes after the event. Investors and customers will be looking for evidence that Apple can keep extending the iPhone franchise while making AI, services and new device categories more central to its growth. Ternus inherits a richer and more diversified Apple than Cook did, but also a company facing a technology transition that could reshape how people interact with their devices.
What happens next
Apple’s September 9 event is the next fixed milestone. After that, attention will move to product availability, the rollout of Apple’s next AI features, any further changes to the executive team and evidence that the company can keep shifting manufacturing risk without damaging margins. Ternus has already promised employees an ambitious product future. His job now is to turn that confidence into products and services that can carry Apple through the next phase of the AI era.
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