According to MacRumors, Apple’s board of directors and senior executives have intensified preparations for CEO Tim Cook to step down potentially as soon as next year. Cook, who turned 65 this year and has led Apple since August 2011, hasn’t publicly announced retirement plans. The company’s Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, John Ternus, is widely viewed as the most likely successor. This succession planning comes despite Apple reporting record revenue in the September quarter and expecting the current December quarter to be the best in company history. Apple’s stock price remains near all-time highs, indicating the leadership transition isn’t performance-related.
The Cook era
Here’s the thing about Tim Cook’s tenure: he took over from Steve Jobs and basically turned Apple into a financial juggernaut. The company’s market cap went from around $350 billion when he took over to nearly $3 trillion today. That’s insane growth. But he’s also 65 now, which is traditional retirement age in the US. And let’s be honest – running Apple has to be one of the most stressful jobs on the planet.
Why Ternus makes sense
John Ternus as the likely successor is actually pretty telling about where Apple sees its future. He’s been leading hardware engineering since 2021 and has been deeply involved in everything from Mac transitions to iPhone development. The hardware focus suggests Apple believes its core products – not services or AI – remain the company’s foundation. But is that the right bet? With AI becoming increasingly important and Apple playing catch-up in some areas, you have to wonder if a hardware-focused leader is what they need.
The curious timing
What’s really interesting here is that Apple is reportedly planning this transition while the company is performing exceptionally well. Record revenue, all-time high stock prices – this isn’t a “jump before you’re pushed” situation. It suggests Cook and the board are being genuinely strategic about succession. And frankly, that’s how it should work at a company of Apple’s scale. As John Gruber notes, this kind of orderly transition planning is exactly what you’d expect from a well-run corporation.
Looking ahead
The big question is whether 2025 is actually the year. The Financial Times report is careful to note that no final decisions have been made and timing could change. Cook seems energized, and he’s only been CEO for 13 years – not exactly ancient by tech CEO standards. But succession planning at this level takes years, not months. So even if Cook stays longer, having Ternus and other executives ready makes perfect sense. The last thing Apple needs is another “what happens after Steve” moment.
