Apple has quietly expanded the responsibilities of hardware chief John Ternus, a move that suggests he is becoming a top candidate to eventually replace CEO Tim Cook. According to a report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman on Thursday, Cook tapped Ternus to take over management of the company’s famous design teams late last year.
This shift is a big change for Apple, as the design team has historically only been led by the company’s most influential figures. These include the legendary Jony Ive, Tim Cook himself for a brief period, and most recently, Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams.
The New “Executive Sponsor”
Mark Gurman noted that the transition happened without much fanfare. Gurman stated, “Ternus is now the “executive sponsor” of Apple’s design team, representing the critical function on Apple’s executive team. The move was under-the-radar: on paper, the teams report to Tim Cook despite Ternus’s role.”
By taking on this role, Ternus now oversees one of Apple’s most vital departments. While there are currently no indications that Tim Cook plans to step down anytime soon, the company is clearly laying the groundwork for its future. Cook, who has been at the helm since 2011, celebrated his 65th birthday this past November.
The Race for the Top Spot
The internal promotion places Ternus in an elite group of potential successors. According to Gurman, the only other truly viable candidate for the CEO position at this stage is Chief Operating Officer Sabih Khan. However, Ternus’ new oversight of both hardware and design gives him a unique level of influence over the products that define the brand.
Ternus is Apple’s Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, a role he has held since 2021 after joining the company’s product design team in 2001. During his 25-year tenure, he has overseen the hardware development of nearly every major product, including every generation of iPad, the latest iPhone lineups, and the historic transition of the Mac to Apple Silicon.
Apple has missed the boat on self-driving cars and also has fallen behind on AI, compared to the likes of Google and OpenAI. Maybe Ternus will bring some real innovation to Apple once again?
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