Tim Cook officially stepped down as Apple’s CEO on September 1, 2026, ending a 15-year tenure during which Apple’s market value grew about 13 times to nearly $4.6 trillion [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering, took over as CEO the same day and joined the board [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 7, 12]. Ternus, a 25-year Apple veteran known for his detailed engineering focus and low profile, is the first Apple CEO with an engineering background, marking a shift from Cook’s operations-driven leadership to a product and engineering emphasis [5, 10, 11, 7, 12].
Cook sent a farewell letter to Apple employees expressing deep gratitude and pride in Apple’s culture and team. He wrote, “Today is my last day as Apple CEO. I deeply love this company and the team behind it... Being your leader has been the honor of my life” [1]. Although resigning as CEO, Cook will stay on as Executive Chairman, remaining active in advising the company, especially on government relations and geopolitical issues [1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 6]. Analyst Sag of Moor Insights & Strategy noted Cook “will assist Ternus with government relations and administrative affairs to ensure a smooth transition” [8].
Apple is recruiting a senior security executive capable of hiking or backpacking, possibly linked to Cook’s personal interests in hiking and national parks following his CEO role [1, 2, 3, 4]. The CEO transition comes during Apple’s AI technology initiatives, ongoing supply chain challenges, and just days before the expected September 9 launch event for the iPhone 18, rumored to include the company’s first foldable iPhone [5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 7].
John Ternus expressed confidence in his new role, saying it is a “great honor” to lead Apple and that he is optimistic about the company’s future [10]. Apple’s board unanimously approved the leadership change after long-term planning [10, 11].
The next major event under Ternus’s leadership is the September 9 product launch, where Apple will unveil the iPhone 18, setting the tone for the company’s coming products and innovations [5, 12].
