Tim Cook will officially step down as chief executive officer of Apple Inc. on September 1, 2026, ending a nearly 15-year tenure that transformed the company into one of the most valuable and influential corporations in the world.

John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering, will succeed him as CEO, while Cook transitions into the role of executive chairman of the board.

The change marks the conclusion of one of the most successful leadership runs in modern corporate history. Cook, 65, assumed the top job in August 2011 after Apple co-founder Steve Jobs resigned due to health reasons. Jobs died just weeks later.

At the time, many observers questioned whether the company could maintain its momentum without its visionary founder. Under Cook’s steady hand, Apple not only survived but thrived, expanding far beyond the iPhone that defined its modern era.

Cook joined Apple in 1998 as senior vice president of worldwide operations, recruited by Jobs to fix the company’s chaotic supply chain. He rose to chief operating officer in 2005 and became indispensable to the firm’s operational excellence. When he took the CEO title, Apple’s annual revenue stood at roughly $108 billion and its market value hovered near $350 billion.

By 2026, annual profits had more than quadrupled and the company’s valuation reached the multi-trillion-dollar range, driven by consistent product innovation, global expansion, and a booming services business that now generates more than $100 billion in yearly revenue.

During Cook’s leadership, Apple introduced the Apple Watch, AirPods, Apple Pay, and the Vision Pro mixed-reality headset. He oversaw successive generations of the iPhone, iPad, and Mac while pushing the company deeper into services such as Apple Music, Apple TV+, iCloud, and App Store ecosystems.

Cook also navigated complex geopolitical challenges, particularly in China, and cultivated relationships with world leaders while maintaining Apple’s reputation for privacy and environmental initiatives.

The succession was announced in April 2026 after what Apple described as a thoughtful, long-term planning process approved unanimously by the board of directors. Cook will remain CEO through the summer to ensure a smooth handover. In a statement at the time, he called the CEO role “the greatest privilege of my life” and praised Ternus as having “the mind of an engineer, the soul of an innovator, and the heart to lead with integrity and with honor.”

Ternus, approximately 50, has spent nearly his entire career at Apple, joining in 2001. He became vice president of hardware engineering in 2013 and was elevated to senior vice president in 2021, reporting directly to Cook. In that role he has overseen the engineering of the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch, playing a central part in many of the products that define the company today.

Industry observers have long viewed him as the leading internal candidate. Upon taking the CEO position, Ternus will also join Apple’s board of directors.

As part of the transition, Apple elevated Johny Srouji, previously senior vice president of hardware technologies, to the new position of chief hardware officer. Arthur Levinson, who has served as non-executive chairman for 15 years, will become lead independent director.

Cook will not leave Apple. As executive chairman he is expected to remain involved in strategic matters, particularly engagement with policymakers and governments around the world. This structure mirrors transitions at other major technology companies, allowing institutional knowledge and relationships to stay within the organization while day-to-day operational control shifts to a new leader.

The timing comes as Apple prepares for its annual fall product event in early September, expected to feature the next generation of iPhones and potentially other hardware innovations. Analysts will watch closely to see whether Ternus, with his deep engineering background, signals any shifts in product strategy or design philosophy.

Public Reaction

Some industry commentators have suggested that a hardware-focused leader could bring renewed emphasis on industrial design after years of incremental updates.

Cook’s legacy rests on operational discipline, financial performance, and cultural continuity. He professionalized Apple’s management structure, expanded its retail footprint, and steered the company through pandemics, supply-chain disruptions, and intense regulatory scrutiny.

Critics occasionally faulted the company for moving more cautiously on artificial intelligence and certain new product categories compared with rivals, yet few dispute the scale of value created under his watch.

In recent days Apple has held internal farewell gatherings for Cook at its Cupertino campus, celebrating both his 15 years as CEO and the forthcoming leadership change. Employees and longtime partners have reflected on a period defined by steady growth rather than the dramatic reinventions of the Jobs era.

As of August 31, 2026, Cook’s final day as CEO is effectively underway. On September 1, John Ternus will formally assume the corner office, becoming only the third chief executive since Jobs returned to Apple in 1997. Cook will continue as executive chairman, remaining a visible presence in Apple’s next chapter.

The handover represents both an ending and a beginning for a company that has shaped consumer technology for decades. For now, attention turns to the quiet transfer of power that will define Apple’s direction in the years ahead.