Just recently Tim Cook was talking about the future of new iPhones — and here’s news that few expected right now. No more iPhones? No more MacBooks? No, even bigger! Tim Cook is leaving Apple as CEO. Honestly, I reacted to this with undisguised relief. And here, I should probably explain why such unexpected news evokes a feeling of liberation rather than sadness, as some Apple fans might feel.
Goodbye, Tim Donald Cook!
How Tim Cook Became the Head of Apple
Tim Cook joined Apple in 1998, when Steve Jobs had just returned to the company and set about saving it. Cook handled operations: supply chains, logistics, manufacturing. It was he who built the system that allowed Apple to produce products in huge volumes with minimal costs.
In 2011, after Steve Jobs’ death, Apple’s leadership changed: Cook took the CEO position. Since then, he led the company for 15 years — longer than Jobs did the second time around. We’ll discuss exactly how he led it below.
Why Tim Cook Is Leaving Apple
Apple announced it officially. De facto, Tim Cook has stepped down from Apple as CEO. This is a planned transition, not a scandalous resignation. Apple’s new CEO will be John Ternus, and this will happen on September 1, 2026. Until that date, Cook retains his position.
We won’t see this gentleman at the helm of Apple much longer
After the handover, Tim Cook isn’t disappearing from Apple: he will take on the role of Executive Chairman of the Board. This means he formally remains with the company but will no longer handle day-to-day management. His role will be engaging with politicians and regulators worldwide. Which makes sense: that’s what Cook does best.
What Tim Cook Did at Apple
This is where things get really interesting. Under Cook’s leadership, Apple became the world’s most valuable company by market capitalization. That’s a fact, and no one can take it away. But if you look at how this happened, the picture becomes… enlightening.
What the Tim Cook era will be remembered for:
- removed the 3.5mm jack from the iPhone in 2016 (“courage” was enough);
- removed the charger from the box in 2020 (“caring for the environment”);
- switched to USB-C only in 2023 (and only under pressure from EU legislation, not by choice);
- iPhone prices roughly tripled over 15 years (while competitors’ hardware got more expensive far more modestly);
- Dynamic Island — the main innovation in several years (a nicely designed camera cutout);
- Apple Intelligence launched late, in a stripped-down form, and still isn’t available in all countries.
How much Tim Cook earns — is a question my colleague Kirill Pirozhenko answered. In short: a lot. And that, perhaps, sums up his entire era. Financial metrics grew steadily, while Android meanwhile surpassed iPhone in several performance parameters, despite Apple controlling both hardware and software simultaneously. I understand that Cook isn’t an engineer. He’s an operational genius, and there’s no irony in that. It’s just that at the helm of a company that always positioned itself as a tech visionary, an operational genius isn’t the best choice for the long haul.
When Will Tim Cook Leave Apple
The official handover date is September 1, 2026. Until then, Tim Cook and John Ternus are working in parallel: a transition period is underway. Apple specifically emphasizes that the transition is planned and Cook is actively involved in preparing his successor.
Tim Cook will leave at the start of the new school year
This is an important detail. Cook’s departure isn’t a crisis or a sudden decision. The company prepared for this in advance, and Cook himself called Ternus a person with “the mind of an engineer and the soul of an innovator.” Sounds like self-criticism, but of course, you wouldn’t say that out loud.
Who Will Run Apple Instead of Tim Cook
The new head of Apple is John Ternus. And this isn’t just a personnel replacement — it’s a change in the type of leader. Cook came from logistics and operations management. Ternus is an engineer. The difference is fundamental.
John Ternus will officially lead Apple starting in September, but his influence on the company has been obvious for a long time. It was under his direct involvement that products were created that actually changed things: the transition to Apple Silicon, new generations of AirPods, and recent Apple Watch Series models.
Who Is John Ternus from Apple
So who is this John Ternus?!
John Ternus has worked at Apple for 25 years — roughly as long as Cook. But his path was different: he was responsible for hardware as the chief engineer. Under his leadership, the following were created:
- the Mac transition to Apple Silicon processors — one of the most impressive technical shifts in the industry in recent years;
- recent iPhone generations in terms of hardware;
- Apple Watch and AirPods (both products became leaders in their segments);
- iPad and Mac in their current form.
Ternus is a person who understands the product from the inside. This doesn’t guarantee that Apple will become a different company. But it’s a different type of thinking at the helm. The difference between “how to sell this” and “how to make this better.”
What Will Happen to Apple After Tim Cook’s Departure
Honest answer: nobody knows. An engineer at the helm could mean bolder technical decisions and less financial caution. Or it could mean the company simply loses the person who knew how to squeeze the maximum out of every product cycle.
But here’s what matters for the entire industry, including Android. A strong Apple is a good thing. Not because the iPhone is better, but because competition drives progress. When Apple stagnates, Android manufacturers have less incentive to take risks. Tim Cook and Steve Jobs — these are two different Apples. Let’s see what Ternus’s Apple will be like.
We’ll be watching the changes at Apple together with you
For now, there are fewer reasons for pessimism than for cautious optimism. And that in itself is already good news. The new Apple CEO comes with a reputation as someone who makes products, not just sells them. Time will tell.
