This is a translation of a foreign article, so there may be mistranslations.
https://wccftech.com/apples-tim-cook-to-step-aside-for-hardware-chief-john-ternus-taking-executive-chairman-role-instead-of-retirement/
Apple's Tim Cook to Hand Over Position to Hardware Chief John Ternus, Taking Executive Chairman Role Instead of Retirement
Tim Cook appears to retain his position as Apple CEO at least through the current US president's term.
Despite multiple counter-arguments from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, according to announcements made suddenly today, Apple's current CEO Tim Cook is preparing to resign as early as September 2026.
This does not mean Cook will completely step away from the front lines; he is expected to remain at Apple's board of directors in an advisory and symbolic capacity.
Apple Enters Historic Power Transition at Its Highest Levels
In November 2025, Reuters and the Financial Times reported that it was likely CEO Tim Cook, who has led Apple, one of the world's largest companies, for over a decade, would resign in 2026.
However, at the time, these reports were strongly denied by Mark Gurman, who maintained his position that Cook would not be going anywhere. Interestingly, Gurman agreed with at least one aspect of those reports: that the most likely candidate to succeed Tim Cook when he steps down would be John Ternus, Apple's hardware chief.
And today, Apple has officially announced that Tim Cook will transition to a much more subdued role starting this fall.
"Apple has announced that Tim Cook will become Executive Chairman of Apple's Board of Directors, and John Ternus, Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, will become Apple's next Chief Executive Officer (CEO) effective September 1, 2026."
The company added the following in a press release:
"Cook will continue to serve as CEO during the summer while working closely with John Ternus to ensure a smooth transition. As Executive Chairman, Cook will continue to support certain company operations, including communication with policymakers worldwide."
Of course, Ternus's appointment is not particularly surprising. Cook has been directly preparing Ternus for this role for quite some time, including having him oversee Apple's design team in addition to his existing hardware responsibilities through the end of 2025.
https://x.com/JoshKale/status/2046334065419362775?s=20
This expansion of his role was nothing short of a declaration with the strongest symbolic meaning that Apple could allow at the time. Historically, the head of Apple's design team has held a very high status within the corporate structure.
https://x.com/aaronp613/status/2046329833593229429?s=20
For reference, Johnny Srouji, the driving force behind Apple Silicon, will become the new Chief Hardware Officer, and Tom Marib, currently Senior Vice President of Hardware for Product Integrity, will take over as head of engineering, a position Ternus previously held. Marib will report directly to Johnny Srouji.
▶ Original Source: https://wccftech.com/apples-tim-cook-to-step-aside-for-hardware-chief-john-ternus-taking-executive-chairman-role-instead-of-retirement/
