By Sinjini Mitra
Apple Inc. is becoming more prominent about its CEO succession preparation, with hardware chief John Ternus emerging as the leading contender to eventually succeed Tim Cook, according to the recent media reports. If confirmed, the transition would mark as Apple’s most significant leadership change of the decade.
According to a report by the Financial Times,the iPhone-maker has stepped up for internal discussions as Cook starts preparing for the final handover. The company’s board and senior leadership are said to have started preparations with Ternus, increasingly positioned at the centre of those plans.
Tim Cook joined Apple in 1998 and became the CEO in August 2011 after co-founder Steve Jobs stepped down due to health issues. Over the last 14 years, Cook has led Apple through a period of unmatched financial growth, turning it into one of the world’s most valuable companies. According to the media reports John Ternus has grown steadily, especially after Apple’s chief operating officer Jeff William was once seen as a potential successor who eventually stepped down in July 2025. Following Williams’ exit and Bloomberg News’ Mark Gurman, a very well-known Apple insider, reported that Ternus is now the most likely internal candidate for the job.
At the age of 50, Ternus is currently Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering and directing the development of nearly all of the company’s flagship products; his growing visibility at Apple events has further fuelled succession chatter.According to his LinkedIn profile, Ternus joined Apple’s product design team during 2001. He has played an important role in shaping almost every major Apple device over the past two decades, which includes multiple generations of the iPhone, iPad, AirPods, and Mac.
Ternus was also instrumental in Apple’s transition from Intel processors to Apple Silicon for Macs, a move which was widely regarded as one of the company’s most important technical shifts in recent years. Recently, his earlier experience in virtual reality has reportedly been valuable for Apple’s work on products such as the Vision Pro.
In 2013, Ternus was promoted to vice president of hardware engineering, overseeing Macs, iPads and AirPods. He took charge of iPhone hardware engineering in 2020 and was later elevated to Apple’s executive team as a senior vice president. Industry watchers note that his responsibilities have now extended beyond hardware, influencing broader product strategy and long-term plans for the product.
For now Apple has made no official announcement regarding Tim Cook’s successor. While John Ternus has emerged as a leading name in succession discussions, any leadership transition remains speculative, with no confirmed timeline in place.