John Ternus: The Apple Hardware Chief Positioned to Succeed Tim Cook as CEO

John Ternus has been significantly involved in Apple's major hardware transitions across the company's product ecosystem.

According to the Financial Times, Apple CEO Tim Cook may step down from his position as early as next year, with the company's board and senior executives actively accelerating succession plans.

Bloomberg reports that John Ternus, currently serving as Apple's senior vice president of hardware engineering, has emerged as the "most likely" candidate to succeed Cook.

After 14 years leading the tech giant since 2011, Cook is reportedly considering his departure.

John Ternus completed his studies in mechanical engineering at the University of Pennsylvania, earning a Bachelor of Science in Engineering in 1997, according to his LinkedIn profile. He launched his professional career that same year at Virtual Research Inc. as a mechanical engineer, where he remained for four years.

During his college years, Ternus was an accomplished competitive swimmer. A 1994 report in The Daily Pennsylvanian noted that he won both the 50-metre freestyle and the 200-metre individual medley events, representing the university's varsity swim team on multiple occasions.

Ternus joined Apple's Product Design team in July 2001, positioning him at the heart of the company's hardware development during a period of significant innovation.

Throughout the following decade, he contributed his expertise to hardware engineering across Apple's major product categories. In 2013, Ternus was elevated to the role of vice president of Hardware Engineering, taking over from Dan Riccio.

Since then, Ternus has led engineering efforts for numerous flagship products including iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, and other key devices. He has played a crucial role in major hardware transitions, particularly Apple's strategic shift from Intel processors to its proprietary Apple Silicon (M-series chips) for the Mac lineup. In recent years, Ternus has become a familiar face at Apple events, frequently presenting keynote segments to introduce new hardware including the latest iPhone lineup and the new iPhone Air.

While Apple has maintained silence regarding Tim Cook's successor, the CEO himself acknowledged in 2023 that "very detailed succession plans" were already established. However, Cook provided no specific information about potential candidates. During a 2023 podcast interview with singer Dua Lipa, Cook stated, "My job is to prepare several people for the ability to succeed, and I really want the person to come from within Apple."