Apple has seen a notable exodus of top executives in recent years, including Jony Ive, Angela Ahrendts, Luca Maestri, and Jeff Williams. While the company has filled most of these vacancies, the CEO role, currently held by Tim Cook, remains without a clear successor, sparking speculation about who will lead Apple next.
John Ternus, a hardware engineer who has been with Apple for 24 years, might be the next CEO after Tim Cook.
Source: Bloomberg pic.twitter.com/dJRxmSZTF5
— Trakin Tech English (@trakinenglish) October 6, 2025
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in the Power On newsletter, Jeff Williams was once considered the likely successor to Tim Cook as Apple CEO. However, Williams’ retirement earlier this year removed him from contention. With Cook turning 65 next month, Apple has reportedly begun internal discussions about who will take over the CEO role, keeping the succession plan a key topic within the company.
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In the event of an emergency, Gurman notes that the role could be temporarily filled by the new COO, Sabih Khan, or retail chief, Deirdre O’Brien. However, for a formal transition, John Ternus, Apple’s Vice President of Hardware Engineering with 24 years at the company, is reportedly the leading candidate. His experience and long tenure make him a strong contender to lead the company in the post-Cook era.
As John Ternus (age 50) emerges as a leading contender to be Apple’s next CEO, several companies closely tied to next-gen VR hardware are entering a new leadership era.
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Gurman highlights several factors in Ternus’ favor, including his age of 50, which mirrors Tim Cook’s age when he became CEO, suggesting he could potentially lead Apple for a decade or more. Other executives are either significantly younger or older, making Ternus a uniquely balanced candidate in terms of experience and longevity. His positioning within Apple reportedly allows him to influence major decisions beyond hardware engineering, making him a strategic choice for the company’s future leadership.
Ternus is also well-regarded by Apple loyalists and has Cook’s trust, according to Gurman. Examples of his growing prominence include leading the introduction of the iPhone Air, Apple’s first new iPhone form factor in years, and personally engaging with customers during the iPhone 17 launch at Apple’s Regent Street store in London. These moves underscore his increasing visibility and influence within Apple, reinforcing his credibility as a potential CEO successor.
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