John Ternus Emerges as Leading Contender to Succeed Tim Cook as Apple CEO in 2026
Apple may enter its 50th year under new leadership, with longtime hardware chief John Ternus increasingly viewed as Tim Cook’s likely successor.
As Apple approaches its landmark 50th anniversary in 2026, the company is reportedly preparing for more than just a sweeping refresh of its devices. A major change in leadership may also be on the horizon. According to a recent report by a famous publication, CEO Tim Cook — who just turned 65 — is weighing the possibility of stepping down as early as next year. And at the top of Apple’s internal shortlist for his replacement is John Ternus, the company’s Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering.
While Apple has not released any official statement regarding Cook’s future, the publication notes that the company has accelerated its succession planning behind closed doors. Sources familiar with internal discussions say Ternus has emerged as the strongest candidate, with his name circulating more frequently in conversations about long-term leadership. His steady rise within Apple, coupled with the company’s increasing emphasis on hardware innovation, places him in a natural position to take on the top role should Cook step aside.
Tim Cook’s Legacy Since 2011
Cook took over the CEO role in 2011 following Steve Jobs’ departure. Over the past 14 years, he has transformed Apple into a $4 trillion technology juggernaut—expanding far beyond its device roots into a global ecosystem of services, wearables, and subscription offerings. Under his leadership, the iPhone has evolved through major design eras, the Mac has fully transitioned to Apple Silicon, and the company has introduced entirely new product categories.
Although Cook has hinted he is not stepping down immediately—once joking that staying until 2050 might be “a bit of a stretch”—he has repeatedly emphasized how seriously Apple handles succession planning. Earlier this year on Dua Lipa’s At Your Service podcast, Cook explained that Apple always prepares several internal leaders for a smooth transition, noting that “unforeseen events can happen at any time.” He has also clearly stated that Apple’s next CEO will come from within the company, not from outside.
Who Is John Ternus?
John Ternus is hardly a new figure within Apple’s leadership circle. He joined the company in 2001, right as the iPod began reshaping Apple’s identity. Over 24 years, he has worked closely with both Steve Jobs and Tim Cook, steadily rising through engineering ranks before taking charge of hardware engineering for major product lines such as the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Ternus played a critical role in Apple’s shift to its custom silicon—widely regarded as one of the company’s boldest and most successful technological moves of the past decade. Colleagues describe him as soft-spoken, disciplined, and deeply focused on execution. His methodical and discreet style mirrors Apple’s internal culture and stands in contrast to the more publicly visible personas of Jobs and Cook.
Before Apple, Ternus worked as an engineer at Virtual Research Inc. from 1997 to 2001. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.
What a Ternus Era Could Mean
If Ternus steps into the CEO role at age 50, it would mark a generational shift at Apple—placing an engineer at the forefront at a time when the company is pushing aggressively into AI, spatial computing, and next-generation hardware. Apple is also expanding the Vision Pro platform, advancing its work on AR devices, and continuing to fuel speculation around long-term projects like the Apple Car.
For now, any talk of a leadership handover remains speculative. Neither Cook nor Ternus has addressed the reports, and Apple has yet to comment. But with Apple entering a new era of innovation, the possibility of a leadership transition as early as next year is becoming increasingly real.
