Trending Now - John Ternus's Vision: Continuity and Change at Apple’s Helm

WHO:

Deadline - John Ternus is described as a "low-key Head of Hardware Engineering" and is set to replace Tim Cook as CEO of Apple.

Fast Company - John Ternus has been with Apple for 25 years and took over iPhone engineering in 2020.

CNET - Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, congratulated Tim Cook on social media, stating, "Congrats on an incredible run @tim_cook, always respected your deep commitment to Apple’s mission and best wishes in your new role!"

9to5Mac - Sam Altman, CEO and co-founder of OpenAI, expressed gratitude for Tim Cook's contributions, saying, "Tim Cook is a legend. I am very thankful for everything he has done and I am very thankful for Apple."

9to5Mac - Warren Buffett, former CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, remarked, "Apple would not be the Apple of today without Tim Cook."

Deadline - John Ternus is described as a "low-key Head of Hardware Engineering" and is set to replace Tim Cook as CEO of Apple.

CNN - President Donald Trump praised Tim Cook, stating, “Tim Cook had an AMAZING career, almost incomparable, and will go on and continue to do great work for Apple, and whatever else he chooses to work on. Quite simply, Tim Cook is an incredible guy!!!”

Fast Company - Tim Cook announced he will step away from his role as CEO at the end of 2026 to become executive chairman of Apple.

Fast Company - John Ternus is described by Tim Cook as “a brilliant engineer and thinker who has spent the past 25 years building the Apple products our users love so much.”

Deadline - John Ternus is set to replace Tim Cook as CEO of Apple in a matter of months.

CNET - Tim Cook is the CEO of Apple.

UnHerd - Avie Tevanian was Apple's former head of software.

UnHerd - Donald Trump was the President of the United States during his campaign in 2016.

UnHerd - Craig Moffett is a partner at MoffettNathanson.

UnHerd - Jensen Huang is the CEO of Nvidia.

UnHerd - Peter Navarro was a trade advisor to Trump.

WHAT:

UnHerd - Apple’s market share in China was fifth in the June quarter, behind Huawei, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi, according to Canalys.

UnHerd - Apple’s annual revenue growth averaged just 2.3% over the past three fiscal years, compared to 11% to 14% for competitors like Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft, and 80% at Nvidia.

Fast Company - Apple’s spending on AI research and data centers has remained relatively flat compared to competitors, which are investing tens of billions of dollars per year.

CNN - President Donald Trump stated, "Tim Cook had an AMAZING career, almost incomparable, and will go on and continue to do great work for Apple, and whatever else he chooses to work on. Quite simply, Tim Cook is an incredible guy!!!"

Fast Company - Tim Cook's retirement will take effect on September 1st, 2026, when he will transition to the role of executive chairman.

CNN - Tim Cook stated in his farewell letter that he has read customer emails every morning for the past 15 years, sharing personal stories about how Apple products have impacted their lives.

CNET - Apple created two new categories, services and wearables, which brought in a combined $145 billion in sales in 2025, contributing to a total revenue of $416 billion.

CNN - Apple became the first $1 trillion company in 2018 and is now worth $4 trillion, making it the second-most valuable company on the US stock market, behind Nvidia.

Fast Company - Under Tim Cook's leadership, Apple's value grew from around $300 billion in 2011 to $4 trillion in 2026.

UnHerd - Apple’s annual revenue growth averaged just 2.3% over the past three fiscal years, compared to 11% to 14% for competitors like Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft, and 80% at Nvidia.

UnHerd - Apple’s market valuation has increased less than 5% in three-and-a-half years.

CNET - Tim Cook's tenure has elevated the prestige of Apple products, turning them into status symbols.

UnHerd - Apple’s annual revenue growth averaged 2.3% over the past three fiscal years.

UnHerd - Apple’s market valuation is currently $3.1 trillion.

UnHerd - Apple’s profits during Cook's tenure have increased 3.7 times, and shareholder returns have increased twentyfold.

UnHerd - Apple killed its electric car project in 2025.

UnHerd - The Vision Pro, a mixed reality headset, was released in early 2024 at a price of $3,500.

UnHerd - Apple’s market share in China was fifth in the June quarter, behind Huawei, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi.

UnHerd - Nvidia is currently valued at $1.2 trillion more than Apple.

WHERE:

UnHerd - Apple has invested heavily in Chinese manufacturing.

UnHerd - Apple’s market share in China is reported by Canalys.

WHEN:

Fast Company - John Ternus is expected to officially take over as CEO on September 1st, 2026.

Fast Company - Tim Cook's retirement will take effect on September 1st, 2026, when he will transition to the role of executive chairman.

Deadline - John Ternus is expected to officially take over as CEO on September 1st, 2026.

Deadline - John Ternus is expected to take over as CEO in September 2026.

Fast Company - Tim Cook's retirement announcement was made on April 22nd, 2026.

Deadline - John Ternus is expected to step into the CEO position in September 2026, almost exactly 10 years since the AirPods were announced.

UnHerd - Tim Cook was appointed CEO of Apple in 2011.

UnHerd - Apple first reached a $3 trillion market valuation in January 2022.

UnHerd - The article mentions that Cook has matched Steve Jobs for his time as CEO, totaling 5,090 days as of April 22nd, 2026.

UnHerd - Apple announced "Apple Intelligence" in June 2024.

UnHerd - The article was first published in August 2025.

WHY:

UnHerd - Criticism of Cook has transitioned from internet forums to investment bank notes and news segments on CNBC and Bloomberg TV, focusing on his perceived lack of product vision and innovation.

UnHerd - Cook’s heavy investment in China is seen as a liability due to rising competition from local firms.

UnHerd - Criticism of Cook has transitioned from internet forums to investment bank notes and news segments on CNBC and Bloomberg TV, focusing on his perceived lack of product vision and innovation.

UnHerd - Criticism of Cook has shifted from internet forums to investment bank notes and news segments, focusing on his perceived lack of product vision and innovation.

UnHerd - Criticism of Cook has transitioned from internet forums to investment bank notes and news segments on CNBC and Bloomberg TV, focusing on his lack of product vision.

Fast Company - Rumors about Cook stepping down began circulating in 2025, with criticism focusing on his reputation as an “ops guy” rather than a “product guy.”

UnHerd - Criticism of Cook has moved from internet forums to investment bank notes and news segments on CNBC and Bloomberg TV, with the main criticism being that Cook isn’t a product visionary.

UnHerd - Critics argue that Cook is not a product visionary, which has led to discussions about his potential resignation.

UnHerd - Cook's heavy investment in China is seen as a liability due to rising competition from local firms.

HOW:

Fast Company - Apple’s AI research group has not become the company’s center of gravity.

Fast Company - Apple’s spending on AI research and data centers has remained relatively flat compared to competitors, which are investing tens of billions of dollars per year.

Fast Company - Apple’s spending on AI research and data centers has remained relatively flat compared to its peers, which are investing tens of billions of dollars per year.

UnHerd - Apple has invested hundreds of billions of dollars into Chinese manufacturing, which has helped elevate local firms that now threaten its dominance.

UnHerd - Apple’s strategy has included a focus on supply chain management and production in China.

UnHerd - Cook has attempted to shift production to India, but efforts have been described as slow and superficial.

(UPDATED April 22, 2026 19:25 UTC)

In a significant leadership change, John Ternus, who has been with Apple for 25 years and took over iPhone engineering in 2020, is set to replace Tim Cook as CEO September 1st. This transition comes amid criticism of Cook's perceived lack of product vision and innovation, as well as concerns over Apple's declining market share in China and stagnant annual revenue growth compared to competitors. Additionally, Apple's spending on AI research and data centers has remained flat, which contrasts sharply with the aggressive investments being made by other tech giants.

(UPDATED April 22, 2026 17:20 UTC)

Tim Cook will officially retire from his position as CEO of Apple September 1st, transitioning to the role of executive chairman. In response to his impending retirement, notable figures like Google CEO Sundar Pichai and OpenAI's Sam Altman have praised Cook's contributions, with President Trump calling his career "almost incomparable." Meanwhile, criticism of Cook's leadership has emerged, particularly regarding Apple's perceived lack of innovation and flat spending on AI research compared to competitors.

(UPDATED April 22, 2026 15:20 UTC)

In a significant leadership change, John Ternus is set to replace Tim Cook as CEO of Apple September 1st, while Cook transitions to the role of executive chairman. In his farewell letter, Cook shared that he has read customer emails every morning for the past 15 years, reflecting on the personal impact of Apple products on users' lives. This shift in leadership comes amid criticism of Cook's tenure, with concerns about a perceived lack of product vision and innovation as Apple’s spending on AI research and data centers has remained relatively flat compared to its competitors.

(UPDATED April 22, 2026 11:24 UTC)

President Trump praised Tim Cook, highlighting his remarkable career and expressing confidence in his continued success at Apple. Meanwhile, Apple has seen impressive growth, generating a combined $145 billion in sales from its new services and wearables categories in 2025, contributing to a total revenue of $416 billion, and is now valued at $4 trillion. As criticism of Cook's product vision grows, John Ternus is expected to take over as CEO in September 20th26, amid discussions about Apple's relatively flat spending on AI research compared to its competitors.

(UPDATED April 22, 2026 05:42 UTC)

Tim Cook announced on Wednesday, that he will step away from his role as CEO of Apple at the end of the year to become executive chairman. Under his leadership, Apple's value skyrocketed from around $300 billion in 2011 to an impressive $4 trillion in 2026, and he praised John Ternus as “a brilliant engineer and thinker” who has been integral to the company for the past 25 years. Rumors about Cook's departure had been circulating since 2025, fueled by criticism of his reputation as more of an operations-focused leader than a product innovator.

(UPDATED April 22, 2026 03:59 UTC)

John Ternus is set to replace Tim Cook as CEO of Apple in September 20th26, nearly a decade after the launch of AirPods. Over the past three fiscal years, Apple's annual revenue growth has averaged just 2.3%, significantly trailing competitors like Alphabet and Amazon, while its market valuation has increased by less than 5% in that same timeframe. Criticism of Cook has escalated from online discussions to serious commentary in investment circles, with many questioning his vision for product innovation as Apple faces increasing competition from local firms in China.

(UPDATED April 22, 2026 01:26 UTC)

Tim Cook, who has been the CEO of Apple since 2011, has significantly elevated the company's prestige, turning its products into status symbols, while also achieving a market valuation of $3.1 trillion. Despite Apple's impressive growth in profits and shareholder returns during his tenure, critics question Cook's vision for new products, especially after the company abandoned its electric car project in 2025 and faced increasing competition in China. Meanwhile, Nvidia's market valuation currently surpasses Apple's by $1.2 trillion, highlighting the challenges Cook faces as he navigates production shifts and investments in China.