Apple begins Ternus era after Cook
Apple is about to introduce its first-ever folding smartphone, marking a shift from annual rumor speculation to concrete reality. The announcement, led by new CEO John Ternus, will also set the stage for discussions on next year’s 20th-anniversary iPhone and the company’s expanding smart home ambitions.
Meet the new boss
Ternus has led Apple’s hardware division for five years after an eight-year stint running hardware engineering. He joined the company in 2001 and is described as highly competent, talented, and modest by nature. His hobby—driving race cars at California’s Laguna Seca Raceway and owning a rare 2019 Porsche 935—suggests a calm individual capable of making rapid, life-or-death decisions.
He is also deeply committed to good product design. This will be tested immediately as he takes the stage. Ternus must sculpt his own destiny in the shadow of Tim Cook, who managed to make shareholders of record in 2011 around 20 times richer by the time he quit.
Apple stock rose from $13.74 per share on a split-adjusted basis to $319.97 per share during Cook’s tenure. While Cook was frequently criticized for not being a product guy, he presided over the launch of the Apple Watch, AirPods, Apple Silicon, and the Vision Pro. He also helped grow services income to become the company’s second-biggest product category.
A hardware-first approach
Can Ternus improve on that? He is being positioned as someone who can. His deep experience in hardware has led to expectations that Apple will double down on product under his watch. He is also assembling a hardware-focused team, including Laura Legros, former vice president of hardware engineering, as a direct report.
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Development of the new products took place under Cook’s leadership, so the upcoming event should be seen as a moment of transition rather than a debut for Ternus. He told Apple staff in his first memo as CEO that he is “just as excited about what lies beyond that, including the incredible products already in the works.” He also stated, “There’s no team in the world I’d rather build the future with.”
This is what will define the new leadership in the next couple of years. He has literally been CEO for a week. The smart home devices should demand attention if they appear, as indicators suggest Apple intends to explore that space with domestic robotics, security services, and smart devices. This hardware proliferation in new markets could become one of the hallmarks of Ternus’ leadership, as will Apple’s AR spectacles once they are introduced.
Equally, he must strike a balance between improving Apple’s traditional product lines while racing toward new opportunities. One of his main tasks as vice president of hardware has been the introduction of new Macs and the transition to Apple Silicon. He’ll be expected to continue that work while expanding the company’s hardware footprint.
The AI challenge
The biggest challenge to all of this will be Apple’s success in implementing AI that is good enough to get things done while avoiding the unexpected dangers of poor implementation. There is a risk that AI agents could corrode smart home security, which is why Ternus seems likely to maintain Cook’s focus on security and privacy as enabling technologies.
Another thing? Tomorrow’s keynote will likely begin with the single word, “Hello,” and feels very likely to also include that classic Apple keynote line, “…One more thing.” We’ll find out more as the conversation moves from speculation to reality after the 10 a.m. (PT) keynote.
