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<\/p>\nTim Cook had a lot to prove when Apple co-founder Steve Jobs handed over the reins as chief executive nearly 15 years ago.<\/p>\n
Jobs was known as a creative visionary, a fiery innovator who launched the iPhone and other iconic products. While some naysayers doubted Cook could carry the brand forward, he has proven them wrong, leading the company on an unprecedented growth spurt. <\/p>\n
Now Cook\u2019s successor, John Ternus, Apple\u2019s senior vice president of hardware engineering, is set to take over the chief executive role on Sept. 1. Analysts say he also has big shoes to fill as the company embarks on a new era.<\/p>\n
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John Ternus, Apple\u2019s senior vice president of hardware engineering, speaks at an event in New York on March 4. He is set to take over as the company\u2019s chief executive on Sept. 1.<\/p>\n
(Adam Gray \/ Bloomberg via Getty Images)<\/p>\n
The transition to a leader whom many say is similar to Cook marks both continuity and change for the tech titan. While Apple needs to continue to reliably and profitably build products that people around the world will buy, it must also innovate and embrace transition to maintain its leadership position in consumer tech in a world increasingly powered by artificial intelligence. <\/p>\n
The company has long been defined by distinct eras of leadership, including Jobs\u2019 product-driven revolution and Cook\u2019s operational discipline and services focus. Ternus is inheriting a massive business, finely-tuned to delight die-hard fans. He will have to decide whether the next stage of growth will be more of the same or a return to bolder bets, analysts say.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe must resist the temptation of incrementalism that has plagued Apple of late,\u201d said Dipanjan Chatterjee, vice president and principal analyst at Forrester. \u201cAs Ternus assumes the helm, he must define Apple\u2019s future as ferociously as he defends its past.\u201d <\/p>\n
Under Cook\u2019s leadership, Apple\u2019s market capitalization grew from roughly $350 billion to $4 trillion. Its revenue ballooned from $108 billion in 2011 to more than $416 billion in 2025. Apple expanded its business and offered new services, becoming intertwined with fitness, payments and entertainment. The company opened a sprawling ring-shaped headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., and employs roughly 166,000 workers.<\/p>\n
With more than 2.5 billion active Apple devices globally, the smartphone maker has garnered a loyal fan base. <\/p>\n
Cook navigated Apple through the company\u2019s tensions with China, the rise of video streaming services, tariffs, antitrust lawsuits and more. The company faced complaints about Apple Maps and abandoned an electric car project. Pricey devices such as the Apple Vision Pro, a headset that blends the digital and physical world so people can watch videos, play games, work and do other tasks, failed to become mainstream.<\/p>\n
One of the biggest recent concerns for some investors is that Apple has lagged behind its rivals, such as OpenAI and Google, when it comes to advancing artificial intelligence. The company is reportedly working on smart glasses and foldable phones, but some skeptics wonder whether Apple has lost its innovative edge. <\/p>\n
\u201cThere have been products that have had a huge impact \u2014 from Apple Watch to even the AirPods \u2014 but in a lot of people\u2019s minds, because of their revenue, because of how much the iPhone represented the new app economy, there wasn\u2019t something like that that Cook brought with him,\u201d said Carolina Milanesi, principal analyst with the research firm Creative Strategies.<\/p>\n
After he steps down, Cook, 65, will become executive chairman of Apple\u2019s board of directors. <\/p>\n
Born in Alabama, Cook joined Apple in 1998 as senior vice president for worldwide operations. Leaving his role at Compaq \u2014 the largest personal computer company at that time \u2014 to work at Apple was risky because of the company\u2019s financial struggles. <\/p>\n
Joining Apple gave Cook a sense of purpose. But when Jobs was dying and told him that he wanted him to become the next chief executive, Cook asked him if he was sure about the decision.<\/p>\n
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