John Ternus Named New Apple CEO as Tim Cook Steps Down

Tim Cook marked his final day as Apple CEO with a memo to employees on August 31. John Ternus, Apple's hardware engineering chief, takes over September 1.

• Cook wrote he will 'miss this work' but is 'at peace' with the decision.
• Cook remains at Apple as executive chairman, continuing to manage political relationships.
• Phil Schiller steps down from running the App Store and Apple events simultaneously.
• App Store oversight moves to services head Eddy Cue; Carson Oliver continues leading the store.

Why it matters: Ternus's elevation points to a hardware-first strategy at Apple as AI drives device demand.

• Under Ternus, Apple shipped the iPhone Air, the lower-cost MacBook Neo, and health-focused AirPods.
• Apple released new Mac models earlier than usual in 2026, driven by enterprise AI demand.

How 39 sources split on this story

What’s next: Ternus formally becomes CEO on September 1.

• Cook plans to appear at Apple Park and globally in his new executive chairman role.
• How Ternus will handle Apple's AI strategy, regulatory pressure, and China relations remains unclear.
• What Schiller's 'unspecified initiatives' as Apple Fellow will involve has not been disclosed.