Apple has announced that longtime Apple CEO Tim Cook will be stepping down from his role on September 1, 2026, concluding a 15 year tenure that has coincided with Apple become one of the largest and most influential companies in the world. Tim Cook will transition to the role of executive chairman of the Apple ... Read More

Current Apple CEO Tim Cook is set to leave his role on September 1, 2026, and as he prepares to step down as CEO, he has written a letter addressed to the Apple community.


Cook said that he starts his day reading notes from Apple users all over the world, which fills him with an indescribable gratitude. According to Cook, Ternus is the perfect person to take over as Apple's CEO.

To the Apple community:

For the past 15 years I've started just about every morning the same way. I open my email and I read notes I received the day before from Apple's users all over the world.

You share little pieces of your lives with me and tell me things you want me to know about how Apple has touched you. About the moment your mom was saved by her Apple Watch. About the perfect selfie you captured at the summit of a mountain that seemed impossible to climb. You thank me for the ways Mac has changed what you can do at work and sometimes give me a hard time because something you care about isn't working like it should.

In every one of those emails I feel the beating heart of our shared humanity. I feel a sense of deepening obligation to work harder and push further. But most of all, I feel a gratitude that I cannot put into words, that I somehow got to be the person on the other end of those emails, the leader of a company that ignites imaginations and enriches lives in such profound ways it defies description. What an honor and a privilege it has been.

Today we announced that I'm taking the next step in my journey at Apple. Over the coming months I will be transitioning into a new role, leaving the CEO job behind in September and becoming Apple's executive chairman. A new person will be stepping into what I know in my heart is the best job in the world. That leader is John Ternus, a brilliant engineer and thinker who has spent the past 25 years building the Apple products our users love so much, obsessed with every detail, focused on every possible way we can make something better, bolder, more beautiful, and more meaningful. He is the perfect person for the job.

John cares so much about who we are at Apple, what we do at Apple, who we reach at Apple, and he has the heart and character to lead with extraordinary integrity. I am so proud to call him Apple's next CEO. This company will reach such incredible heights under his leadership, and you will feel his impact in every bit of delight and discovery that grows out of the products and services to come. I can't wait for you to get to know him like I do.

This is not goodbye. But at this moment of transition, I wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you. Not on behalf of the company, this time, though there is a wellspring of gratitude for you that overflows inside our walls. But simply on behalf of me. Tim. A person who grew up in a rural place in a different time and, for these magical moments, got to be the CEO of the greatest company in the world. Thank you for the confidence and kindness you've shown me. Thank you for saying hi to me on the street and in our stores. Thank you for cheering alongside me when we unveiled a new product or service. Thank you, most of all, for believing in me to lead the company that has always put you at the center of our work. Every day we get up and think about what we can do to make your life a little bit better. And every day, you've made mine the best I could have asked for.

Cook will remain on as Apple CEO until September 1, 2026, which is when John Ternus will take over. After Ternus assumes the role of CEO, Cook will continue to advise Apple in a new role as executive chairman.
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Apple CEO Tim Cook is stepping down as Apple's chief executive officer, and hardware engineering chief John Ternus is set to take over, Apple announced today.


Cook will continue on as Apple CEO through the summer, with Ternus set to join Apple's Board of Directors and take over as CEO on September 1, 2026. Cook is going to transition to executive chairman, and he will "assist with certain aspects of the company, including engaging with policymakers around the world."

In a statement, Cook said that his time as Apple's CEO has been the "greatest privilege" of his life.

It has been the greatest privilege of my life to be the CEO of Apple and to have been trusted to lead such an extraordinary company. I love Apple with all of my being, and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with a team of such ingenious, innovative, creative, and deeply caring people who have been unwavering in their dedication to enriching the lives of our customers and creating the best products and services in the world. John Ternus has the mind of an engineer, the soul of an innovator, and the heart to lead with integrity and with honor. He is a visionary whose contributions to Apple over 25 years are already too numerous to count, and he is without question the right person to lead Apple into the future. I could not be more confident in his abilities and his character, and I look forward to working closely with him on this transition and in my new role as executive chairman.

Ternus said that he is optimistic about what Apple can achieve in the years to come.

I am profoundly grateful for this opportunity to carry Apple's mission forward. Having spent almost my entire career at Apple, I have been lucky to have worked under Steve Jobs and to have had Tim Cook as my mentor. It has been a privilege to help shape the products and experiences that have changed so much of how we interact with the world and with one another. I am filled with optimism about what we can achieve in the years to come, and I am so happy to know that the most talented people on earth are here at Apple, determined to be part of something bigger than any one of us. I am humbled to step into this role, and I promise to lead with the values and vision that have come to define this special place for half a century.

Apple says that the transition was approved by the Board of Directors and is the result of a "thoughtful, long-term succession planning process." The current board chair, Arthur Levinson, will become the lead independent director on the board.
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As we previously reported, astronauts aboard NASA's Orion spacecraft used the iPhone 17 Pro Max to take selfies of themselves with the Earth in the background during the Artemis II mission around the far side of the Moon last week.


Now that the crew members have safely returned to Earth, Apple's CEO Tim Cook and marketing chief Greg Joswiak have both turned to social media to congratulate them on their successful mission and highlight the iPhone's involvement.

"You captured the wonders of space and our planet beautifully, taking iPhone photography to new heights, and we're grateful you shared it with the world," wrote Cook. "Your work continues to inspire us all to think different. Welcome home!"


"Honored that NASA astronauts brought iPhone to space with them," said Joswiak. "One small step for iPhone. One giant leap for space selfies."

In February, NASA announced that the iPhone had been fully qualified for extended use in orbit, with reports indicating that each of the four crew members aboard the Orion were equipped with an iPhone 17 Pro Max for personal photos and videos.

The photos show Artemis II's Commander Reid Wiseman and Mission Specialist Christina Koch looking back at Earth through one of the Orion's main cabin windows. Flickr data indicates that these photos were shot with the iPhone 17 Pro Max's front-facing camera on April 2, which was the second day of the mission.


Most other photos from the mission shared so far were captured with other cameras, such as the Nikon D5, Nikon Z 9, and GoPro HERO4 Black.


Artemis II was NASA's first crewed mission to the Moon since 1972. The crew reached the far side of the Moon on Monday, breaking the all-time record for the farthest distance traveled from Earth by humans. However, the Orion does not have landing capabilities, so it was a flyby mission only. The spacecraft returned to Earth on Friday.
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For its 50th anniversary celebration, Apple invited The Wall Street Journal's Ben Cohen to Apple Park to meet up with Apple CEO Tim Cook.


Cohen and Cook took a look at rare archival materials from the early days of Apple, some of which Cook wasn't even familiar with. Cook said that he had seen a lot of the devices for the first time while preparing for Apple's 50th anniversary.

Items on display included the first patent Apple filed, which was for the Apple II, the original 2001 iPod, early iPhone components and prototypes, the Apple Watch Cook wore on stage when announcing the device, and more.

According to Cook, the launch of the iPhone was his favorite moment at Apple. When asked why, he said it was because a phone was something everyone at Apple was using every day.

We were using that generation's smart phone, and it was such an awful experience. And I love the fact that all of a sudden you had this touch interface, and it worked like your mind worked.

Cook declined to speak on future products, but he suggested Apple's next hit would be something that "finds the intersection of hardware, software, and services." Cook also declined to comment on talk about him retiring. "My answer to that is when the day comes, I'll know it," he said.

Apple celebrated its 50th anniversary with a Paul McCartney concert for employees last night, and today, in addition to speaking with the ‌Wall Street Journal‌, Cook sent out a heartfelt letter to employees.

Today officially marks Apple's 50th anniversary. And as we've celebrated that milestone this month, I've been reflecting on some powerful words from Steve.

"When you grow up, you tend to get told that the world is the way it is," he said. "But life can be much broader once you discover one simple fact: everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you. You can change it, you can influence it, you can build your own things that other people can use. Once you learn that, you'll never be the same again."

This is the ethos that brought Apple into the world in 1976--and for fifty years, it's what has drawn the smartest, most passionate, most creative and most committed people to this company.

We come here to do the best work of our lives, and to reach beyond what any of us could do alone. To be part of a culture that asks us to stay curious, to collaborate deeply, to demand excellence of ourselves and the people around us, and to believe--genuinely believe--that we can do the impossible.

Across our teams and across generations, we've been united by a simple belief: the future isn't something you wait for. It's something you build. And it is staggering to think of everything we've built together.

Fifty years ago, there was a single computer prototype in a garage. Today, there are 2.5 billion active Apple devices in the hands of people in every corner of the earth - helping them create, communicate, learn and connect in ways that would have seemed unimaginable then.

It's impossible to fully quantify the profound impact this company and its people have had on the world. And it's a truly special thing to do what we do every day, knowing that our work is squarely focused on empowering people and enriching their lives.

Whether you joined this year or have been here for dozens of years, I hope you take a minute to reflect on how much your work means. Thank you.

Thank you for pushing yourselves further than you thought you could go. Thank you for believing in our mission and holding fast to our values. Thank you for dedicating yourself to something so much bigger than any one of us.

As extraordinary as it is to reflect on the past fifty years, what excites me most is what comes next. The opportunities ahead of us are among the greatest we have ever seen - and there's no team in the world better positioned to meet them.

Thank you for everything and here's to the next fifty years.

Prior to today, Apple also celebrated its 50th anniversary with a series of concerts and events around the world.
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Apple's CEO Tim Cook has maintained a working relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump, and he touched on that in a recent interview.


Cook sat down with Esquire's Ryan D'Agostino to discuss Apple's 50th anniversary, but he was also asked about how he navigates the Trump administration.

Cook responded by saying that "the Trump administration is very accessible."

"So you can talk with them about your point of view on things," said Cook. "They may not agree, but you can engage. You can be heard. You may not, in the end, be able to convince. But engagement for me, not just in the U.S. but around the world, is so important because it is very complex, working through local laws, local customs, local culture, local regulations. Every country is its own story. Everybody's looks at things differently."

"The only way you get a feel for that is to sit before someone and communicate and engage," he added. "If you went in my conference room, you would see the Teddy Roosevelt quote 'It is not the critic who counts.' I've never believed that just yelling from the sideline about plus or minus was a good strategy. Your voice just goes into the wind."

Cook went on to say that it is important to have "values that are consistent," and he assured that Apple's values and his own have not changed.

He emphasized Apple's focus on user privacy, the environment, accessibility, and education.

"So you'll see me everywhere, and you'll wonder 'oh, he's meeting with somebody that has a different view than him,'" Cook concluded. "I think that's good. I think it's good. I think a problem in the world right now is that it's so polarized and different views aren't shared or discussed. They just become hardened. And I don't think that's good."

In an interview last month, Cook said he is "not a political person."

"I interact on policy, not politics," he said.
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In an in-depth article for Bloomberg Businessweek today, Mark Gurman profiled Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus, who is widely viewed as the leading candidate to become Apple's next CEO whenever Tim Cook decides to step down.


The article is very long, so we recommend reading it in full, but a few of the key takeaways are that Ternus is apparently "well-liked among Apple's leadership" and helped with "reversing a trend of declining product quality" at the company.

"Since getting the top hardware engineering role in 2021, he's overseen an expansion in Apple's product lineup, improving quality and focusing on functional improvements around battery life, performance and connectivity," wrote Gurman.

Cook reportedly gave oversight of Apple's design teams to Ternus at the end of last year, and Ternus has been making a lot more public appearances in interviews and in product introduction videos over the past few years. The profile provides a closer look at how Ternus has risen to become the frontrunner to succeed Cook eventually.

Cook has not shared his retirement plans with even some of his closest lieutenants, according to the report, so it is unclear when he plans to step down. Cook has served as Apple's CEO since 2011, and he reached the common retirement age of 65 last year. In a recent interview, he vaguely said "I can't imagine life without Apple."

The full Bloomberg Businessweek article: "Apple's 'Nice Guy' Heir Apparent"
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Apple's CEO Tim Cook today said the Mac just had its "best launch week ever for first-time Mac customers," which suggests that the new MacBook Neo has been a hit with customers buying their first laptops or switching from Windows.


Apple released the MacBook Neo last Wednesday, March 11. In the U.S., pricing starts at just $599 for the general public and an even lower $499 for college students. The laptop is powered by a version of the iPhone 16 Pro's A18 Pro chip, and it is available in colorful finishes like Citrus, Blush, and Indigo, alongside traditional Silver.

Apple also released MacBook Air models with the M5 chip and MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips last week, so it was a big week for new Macs, but the affordable MacBook Neo is likely driving the record number of first-time Mac buyers.

If you want a MacBook Neo, you may have to wait. In the U.S., MacBook Neo orders placed through Apple's online store today are estimated to be delivered between April 6 and April 13. However, it may be possible to find a MacBook Neo sooner at one of Apple's retail stores, or through authorized resellers such as Amazon and Walmart.


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In an interview with Good Morning America's Michael Strahan this week, Apple's CEO Tim Cook responded to rumors about his potential retirement.


Cook said the idea that he wants to step back at Apple is merely "a rumor."

Cook did not explicitly confirm or deny that he will be stepping down as CEO any time soon, but he said "I can't imagine life without Apple."

The full interview clip is available on YouTube below.


Last year, the Financial Times reported that Apple was preparing for Cook to step down as soon as early 2026, but it is already mid-March, so that timeframe has either already passed or is nearing its expiry date depending on who you ask.

Apple's Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, John Ternus, is widely viewed as Cook's most likely successor. Cook reportedly gave oversight of Apple's design teams to Ternus at the end of last year, and Ternus has been making a lot more public appearances in interviews and in product introduction videos over the past few years.

Cook has been Apple's CEO since August 2011, and he turned 65 last year.

Whenever he steps down, Cook could always become the executive chairman of Apple's board of directors, so he may play a key role in the company for years to come.
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Apple is expanding its partnership with the Save The Music Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting music education in U.S. public schools. The organization donates musical instruments and technology to schools and much more.


"We're thrilled to be expanding our partnership with Save the Music, bringing music education to even more schools across the country," said Apple CEO Tim Cook.

Apple's expanded partnership will help to bring music programming to nearly 50 more schools.

Cook visited the Wadleigh Secondary School for the Performing and Visual Arts in New York City to listen to music created by students there. In a short video, the students can be seen using Apple products like the iPad, Apple Pencil, and AirPods Max.


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In an August 2024 letter published by The Steve Jobs Archive today, Tim Cook reflected on joining Apple and what he learned from working with Steve Jobs.


Jobs convinced Cook to join Apple in 1998, to help turn around the company:

I'll never forget that first conversation with Steve. At the time, Apple had been struggling and Steve was working to right a ship that had drifted in his absence. Many people doubted the company could survive, and I was warned that accepting a job there would come with risks. But when Steve spoke, any trepidation I harbored instantly dissolved. I had never met someone with so much passion and vision. He spoke with charisma and clarity—about a future where technology could unlock a wellspring of human creativity and potential, connecting us and uplifting us in ways even he had yet to imagine.

Cook said joining Apple was the best decision he ever made:

In Steve, I found an incredible mentor who inspired me to grow and challenge myself in new and important ways. And in joining Apple, I traded a job for a purpose, one that still drives me to this very day. It truly was the greatest decision I've ever made.

The Steve Jobs Archive shared letters from many additional influential leaders today, including Apple's former design chief Jony Ive, Disney CEO Bob Iger, famous designer Dieter Rams, and others. The letters had previously only been shared with The Steve Jobs Archive fellows. There is also a new introductory letter from Laurene Powell Jobs.

The Steve Jobs Archive released the letters on what would have been Jobs' 71st birthday. They are available on the web and in the Apple Books app for free.

The Steve Jobs Archive was launched by Jobs' friends and family in 2022. The website features a collection of quotes, photos, videos, and emails from Jobs, and offers fellowships to young creators looking to follow in his footsteps.
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Apple CEO Tim Cook was among a handful of top tech executives who attended a classified CIA briefing warning that China could attack Taiwan by 2027, according to a sweeping investigative report by The New York Times ($).


The previously unreported briefing was apparently held in a secure room in Silicon Valley in July 2023. The meeting is said to have been arranged at the request of the then-commerce secretary Gina Raimondo, who had grown frustrated with the tech industry's reluctance to move chip production away from Taiwan.

CIA director William Burns and director of national intelligence Avril Haines reportedly presented the latest intelligence on China's military plans to Cook, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, AMD CEO Lisa Su, and Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon.

Cook reportedly told officials afterward that he slept "with one eye open."

A similar classified session was said to have been held at the White House in late 2021, but executives left skeptical because much of the intelligence had already been reported publicly. Earlier that same year, a senior U.S. military official had told Congress that the armed services believed President Xi Jinping of China wanted his army to be ready to take Taiwan by 2027. From the report:

Jake Sullivan, Mr. Biden's national security adviser, ranked the U.S. reliance on Taiwan for semiconductors as one of America's greatest vulnerabilities. He wanted the industry to recognize the risk and support construction of U.S. manufacturing plants. Mr. Biden also wanted to provide $50 billion in government subsidies to build semiconductor plants domestically [resulting in the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022].

"We were saying: 'This is crazy. We have to do something about it,'" Mr. Sullivan said in an interview.

The investigation reveals Silicon Valley's stubborn dependence on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), which produces around 90 percent of the world's most advanced chips, including all of Apple's custom silicon for iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

A confidential 2022 report commissioned by the Semiconductor Industry Association and reviewed by NYT concluded that losing access to Taiwan's chip supply would trigger the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, with U.S. GDP falling 11 percent. Another report by Bloomberg from January 2024 estimated a conflict would cost the global economy more than $10 trillion.

Despite the warnings, the NYT investigation found that companies including Apple were initially slow to commit to buying more expensive chips from U.S. factories. Chips made domestically cost more than 25 percent above those produced in Taiwan because of higher material, labor and permitting costs, and TSMC's Arizona plants currently run technology a generation behind what's available on the island.

Apple has since taken steps, however. Last summer, Cook visited the Oval Office and committed to investing $100 billion in the United States, with the money being used to support TSMC and other chip manufacturers. Apple has reportedly also begun holding all-day engineering meetings with Intel to evaluate its manufacturing capabilities.

TSMC has now committed to roughly $165 billion in U.S. investment, including land for at least five additional plants in Phoenix. The company's Arizona facility recently produced Nvidia's first U.S.-made AI chip, although the report notes that even those chips still need to be shipped back to Taiwan for advanced packaging.

Meanwhile, Taiwan's government maintains an unofficial policy requiring TSMC to keep its most advanced manufacturing technology on the island. This "silicon shield" is designed to make the country too economically important to attack – yet Russia's invasion of Ukraine has shown that economic self-interest does not necessarily prevent military aggression. TSMC's CFO said earlier this year that its most advanced processes will remain in Taiwan for the foreseeable future.
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In a recent all-hands meeting, Apple CEO Tim Cook told employees to "stay tuned" about the company's plans for its upcoming 50th anniversary. Apple was founded on April 1, 1976, so the company will turn 50 in a few more months.


Following a snippet last week, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has since shared Cook's full remarks:

I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment — 50 years. It's an extraordinary accomplishment. We've been going back through old archives, old photographs. We've been going back through the products, the services, the people, and I am struck by how much Apple has changed things, how much Apple has changed the world, how much Apple has given to the world. Are we going to celebrate it? You better believe it. We're not ready to say exactly how yet, so stay tuned. Yes. We're not a culture that looks back. So the group of people working on this have had to kind of build a different muscle for this, as our muscle is always about what's next. We've really had to work hard on this to get in a reflective state, but when you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart sing. It really does. I promise some celebration.

While it is likely that Cook was referring to a celebration for Apple employees, the company will almost certainly honor the occasion in a big way publicly too.

Apple went from flirting with bankruptcy in the late 1990s to becoming the world's most valuable public company in the early 2010s. It has introduced many iconic products, including the Macintosh in 1984, the iPod in 2001, the iPhone in 2007, and the Apple Watch in 2015. The company reported an all-time revenue record last quarter, driven by all-time high iPhone sales, so the company is still peaking financially.


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Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026.


"I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart sing. It really does. I promise some celebration."

Apple was founded on April 1, 1976, so the company will celebrate its 50th anniversary in a little less than two months from now.

From near-bankruptcy in the late 1990s to becoming the world's most valuable public company in the early 2010s, Apple has been through a series of highs and lows over the past half century. The company just reported an all-time revenue record last quarter, driven by all-time high iPhone sales, so the company has come a long way.

We will be sure to have in-depth coverage of whatever Apple has in store for its 50th.
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In an all-hands meeting with employees today, Apple CEO Tim Cook promised to lobby the U.S. government on immigration, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


Cook said he is "deeply distraught" with the U.S. government's current approach to immigration, and he promised to make his voice heard on the matter, the report said.

"For as long as I can remember, we have been a smarter, wiser, more innovative company because we've attracted the best and brightest from all corners of the world," Cook told employees, according to the report. Cook ensured that he would "continue to lobby lawmakers on this issue" going forward, per the report.

Cook said immigration is especially important to Apple because the company has "team members across the U.S. on some form of visa," the report said.

Cook also reiterated his support for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy.

In a memo last month, Cook said he was "heartbroken" about recent events in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after two people were killed by U.S. federal immigration agents there. The killings stoked public outcry in the country.

"This is a time for deescalation," said Cook, in the memo. "I believe America is strongest when we live up to our highest ideals, when we treat everyone with dignity and respect no matter who they are or where they're from, and when we embrace our shared humanity. This is something Apple has always advocated for."
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Apple CEO Tim Cook yesterday reiterated the structure of its partnership with Google to use Gemini AI models for the next generation version of Siri.


During the company's Q1 2026 earnings call yesterday, Apple CEO ‌Tim Cook‌ and CFO Kevan Parekh were asked several questions about Apple Intelligence and the company's recently announced deal with Google to power the personalized version of ‌Siri‌ using Gemini.

We basically determined that Google's AI technology would provide the most capable foundation for AFM (Apple Foundation Models), and we believe that we can unlock a lot of experiences and innovate in a key way due to the collaboration. We'll continue to run on the device and run in Private Cloud Compute and maintain our industry-leading privacy standards in doing so. In terms of the arrangement with Google, we're not releasing the details of that.

That description closely matches language from Apple and Google's earlier joint announcement, which said that ‌Apple Intelligence‌ would continue to operate on Apple hardware and Private Cloud Compute.

Cook also addressed Apple's own artificial intelligence development efforts, noting that the company continues to build its own technology alongside the Gemini partnership, but clarified that those efforts do not replace Google's role in the personalized ‌Siri‌ system.

You should think of it as a collaboration. And we'll obviously independently continue to do some of our own stuff, but you should think of what is going to power the personalized version of Siri as a collaboration with Google.

When asked about monetization and return on investment, Cook framed ‌Apple Intelligence‌ as a feature integrated across Apple's platforms rather than a discrete revenue driver.

We're bringing intelligence to more of what people love and we're integrating it across the operating system in a personal and private way, and I think that by doing so, it creates great value, and that opens up a range of opportunities across our products and services. And we're very happy with the collaboration with Google as well, I should add.

Neither Cook nor Parekh disclosed how many users currently have access to ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features or whether those capabilities are driving hardware upgrades. Apple previously acknowledged that ‌Apple Intelligence‌ is limited to devices with sufficient memory and processing capacity, which constrains availability somewhat.
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There has been increasing discussion about Tim Cook eventually stepping down as Apple's CEO, but reports have offered differing timelines.


A few months ago, the Financial Times reported that Apple was preparing for Cook to step down as soon as early 2026. In his Power On newsletter today, however, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that timeframe "seems unlikely."

Gurman previously said he would be "shocked" if Cook stepped down before the middle of 2026, so he might remain CEO through WWDC in June at a minimum.

There has been speculation that Cook might become the chairman of Apple's board of directors after he steps down as CEO, but it seems like that transition will not happen imminently, as Apple's current chairman Arthur D. Levinson is up for re-election at the company's annual shareholders meeting on February 24.

Apple has a guideline stating that directors generally may not stand for re-election after age 75, but the company asked shareholders to make an exemption for 75-year-old Levinson, due to his significant experience and expertise.

Apple's Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, John Ternus, is widely viewed as Cook's most likely successor. Earlier this week, Gurman reported that Cook gave oversight of Apple's design teams to Ternus at the end of last year, and he said this move makes it "crystal clear" that Ternus is the leading CEO candidate.

Cook has been Apple's CEO since August 2011, and he reached the typical retirement age of 65 last year. It is sounding more and more likely that his time in charge of the company is inching towards the end, but Gurman seems confident that a passing of the baton is still many months away at least, rather than something that is imminent.


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Apple CEO Tim Cook earned $74.3 million in 2025, down slightly from $74.6 million in 2024, Apple said in its annual proxy filing released today.


Cook's earnings included a $3 million base salary that has remained the same since 2016, $57.5 million in stock awards, $12 million in performance-based cash awards, and $1.76 million in other compensation, such as 401(k) contributions, life insurance premiums, vacation cash-out, security expenses, and personal air travel expenses. For efficiency and security purposes, Cook is required by Apple to use private aircraft for both business and personal travel.

Apple set a target compensation of $59 million for Cook, the same as in 2024, but Cook earned above that level through the incentive payouts that executives receive when Apple performs well.

Other key senior Apple executives, including outgoing general counsel Kate Adams, chief operating officer Sabih Khan, and retail and people chief Deirdre O'Brien each earned total compensation packages of around $27 million in 2025. Apple saw a chief financial officer transition in 2025, with former CFO Luca Maestri earning $15.5 million in 2025 and new CFO Kevan Parekh earning $22.5 million.
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Apple's senior vice president of hardware technologies Johny Srouji could be the next leading executive to leave the company amid an alarming exodus of leading employees, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports.


Srouji apparently recently told CEO Tim Cook that he is "seriously considering leaving" in the near future. He intends to join another company if he departs. Srouji leads Apple's chip design and pioneered the transition to Apple silicon.

Earlier this week, it emerged that Meta had hired multiple significant Apple employees, including longtime Apple designer Alan Dye, while conducting its own recruiting blitz for AI and smart glasses development. Meanwhile, Apple announced the retirement of Senior Vice President and General Counsel Kate Adams, Lisa Jackson, Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives, and AI chief John Giannandrea. Earlier this year, Apple lost Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams, who is retiring, and Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri. There have also been rumors about Apple CEO ‌Tim Cook‌ retiring, with rumors suggesting he is preparing to leave his role as soon as next year.

Gurman says that the losses are partly due to veteran executives nearing retirement age, but there is still a "disconcerting brain drain" taking place in the company. Nevertheless, Gurman says the accumulative weight of the departures all adds up to "one of the most tumultuous stretches of Cooks tenure." Some of the losses are said to be a "cause for deep concern," and Cook is now looking to prevent further loss of leading talent with stronger compensation packages.

Gurman notes that "Apple hasn't launched a successful new product category in a decade," leaving it increasingly vulnerable to having its talent poached by more agile rivals who are said to be better equipped to develop the next generation of devices and AI technologies.

Cook himself is thought to be likely to join the exodus and step down in the not-too-distant future. He turned 65 last month and now exhibits a noticeable, unexplained tremor in his hands. He is likely to transition to the role of chairman, rather than vacate the company entirely.

The departure of Srouji is said to be "a more imminent risk" and Cook is purportedly working hard to retain him by offering a substantial pay package and the potential of more responsibility. Some executives have suggested elevating Srouji to the role of chief technology officer. This would move him to oversee a broad range of hardware engineering and silicon technologies, making him Apple's second-most powerful executive.

Gurman says this change would likely require John Ternus to be promoted to CEO, but Srouji apparently would prefer to not work under a different CEO, even with an expanded remit. If he does leave, Srouji would likely be replaced by Zongjian Chen or Sribalan Santhanam. Beyond Srouji and the other reported departures, Apple is believed to be contending with a significant talent drain among its key engineers.

Gurman explains that there has been "a broader collapse within Apple's artificial intelligence organization" triggered by AI models chief Ruoming Pang departing earlier this year, along with colleagues such as Tom Gunter and Frank Chu. Apple lost Siri and search overseer Robby Walker, as well as his replacement, Ke Yang, to Meta.

Apple's AI group is apparently suffering from low morale and there is growing worry over the increasing use of external AI technology such as Google Gemini. Around a dozen of Apple's leading AI researchers have also now departed.

The company's AI robotics software team has seen widespread departures, including its leader Jian Zhang, who joined Meta. The user interface team has also lost members, such as Billy Sorrentino, culminating in Dye's exit.

Apple's hardware design group "has been nearly wiped out," with many employees vacating to other companies or following former design chief Jony Ive to his studio, LoveFrom. Abidur Chowdhury, the designer behind the iPhone Air who narrated its unveiling in September, left for an AI startup.

The company has lost a key director in charge of display technologies, Cheng Chen, to OpenAI. He also oversaw the optics of the Vision Pro headset. In addition, one of Apple’s top hardware engineering executives, Tang Tan, similarly left for OpenAI.

Apple has even lost the dean of Apple University, Richard Locke. Apple University is the internal program intended to preserve the company's practices and culture following the death of Steve Jobs.

The exodus has become a major concern for Apple's leadership, which has instructed human resources to ramp up recruitment and retention efforts. See Gurman's full report for more information.
This article, "Apple Chip Chief Johny Srouji Could Be Next to Go as Exodus Continues" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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There is uncertainty about Apple's head of hardware engineering John Ternus succeeding Tim Cook as CEO, The Information reports. Some former Apple executives apparently hope that a new "dark-horse" candidate will emerge.


Ternus is considered to be the most likely candidate to succeed Cook as CEO. The report notes that he is more likely to become CEO than software head chief Craig Federighi, Chief Operating Officer Sabih Khan, or marketing head Greg Joswiak.

Ternus is 50 and has worked at Apple since 2001. He is known for being dependable and good at following orders with an obsessive attention to detail. Colleagues describe him as calm, emotionally intelligent, logical, and conservative. He purportedly took the fall for Apple's butterfly keyboard internally, which earned him respect. He also led the transition of the Mac to Apple silicon to much success. These situations are said to have helped Ternus earn Cook's trust.

However, some voices in the company believe that Ternus is not ready to take on the role, which could delay a succession announcement. Some skeptics inside the company say that Ternus is too risk averse, leading to frustrations within his group. For example, some in Apple's hardware engineering department were disappointed that Ternus declined to fund more ambitious projects.

One of these individuals was vice president Tang Tan, who now leads OpenAI's project to build an AI hardware device designed by Apple's former chief designer, Jony Ive. Tan and Ive have since poached a large number of hardware engineers from Ternus' team to work on the unreleased device. Other critics say that Ternus "isn't a charismatic leader" and has had little involvement in the geopolitical affairs that have dominated the attention of Cook in recent years.

While Craig Federighi could succeed Cook due to his high profile, there are concerns that his focus on software may make him a poor fit for the role. He apparently prefers tackling technical problems rather than dealing with the kind of broader issues that the role of CEO demands.

Federighi is also risk-averse and voiced disproval over the Apple's spending on the Vision Pro and its now-canceled self-driving car project. He was also initially skeptical about AI, believing that the technology was overhyped and too unpredictable.

Cook has said publicly that he wants Apple's next CEO to come from within the company, but it is possible that the company could opt for a former employee. One such individual is said to be former Apple hardware executive Tony Fadell, who co-created the iPod.

Fadell reportedly told associates recently that he would be open to replacing Cook as CEO. Some former Apple executives believe that Fadell would help "shake up" the company from the perspective of a brash product leader.

Other individuals within Apple see the prospect as "unlikely," since Fadell was a "polarizing figure" when he worked at the company. Apple passed on acquiring Fadell's smart home company Nest in 2014 because some staff did not want him to return to the company.

Regardless of who succeeds him, Cook is now thought to be highly likely to retire in the not-too-distant future. Some analysts believe that ‌Tim Cook‌ "hasn't moved fast enough" or with the urgency of executives at Meta and Google to respond to the growing challenge of AI.

There are reportedly growing signs in Cook's personal life that he could be planning to move on soon. He apparently no longer routinely rises at 4 a.m. as he once did to go to the gym. Individuals around Cook have begun to notice a slight tremor in his hands, which was also visible during a recent visit to the White House.

In addition, Cook surprised colleagues when he purchased a luxury home outside Palm Springs, California. The report notes that he used to be noticeably more frugal, such as when he chose to rent a home in Silicon Valley rather than buying one to save money.

Senior Apple employees are said to be so sure of the likelihood of major management changes at the company, which could open up new opportunities, that they have raised the situation to many who have tried to recruit them.
This article, "Will John Ternus Really Be Apple's Next CEO?" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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