Tim Cook ready to leave Apple in 2026: John Ternus favorite to succeed him

A silent earthquake is brewing in Cupertino. According to the Financial Times, Tim Cook could step down as CEO as early as next year, a scenario that Apple’s board is now taking very seriously.

And one name keeps coming up: John Ternus, the current Senior Vice President in charge of hardware engineering, is seen as the frontrunner to take over the reins of the company.

Tim Cook, who has just turned 65, has led Apple for 14 years. He has guided the company through a remarkable growth period while navigating a significant number of controversies. As the chief architect of Apple’s massive outsourcing strategy, Cook has transformed the company’s industrial chain, enabling it to produce at an unprecedented scale in its history.

Timing That Raises Questions, Following the Departure of Apple’s Number Two

These rumors are not appearing out of nowhere. They come on the heels of Jeff Williams’ departure, Apple’s influential COO who had long been considered a natural successor to Cook.

Williams left the company last Friday, leading to a significant internal reorganization: the responsibilities of Eddy Cue (Services), Craig Federighi (Software Engineering), and John Ternus have been expanded.

This rise of Apple’s historical leaders clearly indicates that the company is preparing for the post-Cook era — a transition that now seems closer than ever.

Why John Ternus is Seen as the Ideal Successor?

Ternus oversees all of Apple’s hardware teams and has played a key role in the transition to Apple Silicon, one of the company’s most significant technological shifts since the iPhone.

His reputation within the company is excellent; he knows Apple’s culture inside and out, and his engineering profile mirrors that of Tim Cook: understated, discreet, methodical, without the showman aura of Steve Jobs but with formidable efficiency.

An Internal Successor is Inevitable: Apple Remains True to Its Philosophy

Tim Cook has already stated: Apple is 100% focused on finding a successor from within. The company has long been working on what it calls “very detailed succession plans,” and the idea of looking outside just doesn’t seem to be considered.

If Cook does leave in 2026, he will leave behind a transformed Apple: more dependent on services, more focused on AI, more international in its supply chain — but also more scrutinized, more criticized, and engaged in a delicate strategic transition.