Apple's Engineer-in-Chief Takes Over as CEO With a Foldable iPhone on the Horizon

A New Era Begins in Cupertino

Today, Tuesday, September 1, 2026, Apple officially has a new CEO. John Ternus, the company's longtime head of hardware engineering, stepped into the role that Tim Cook held for nearly 15 years — and he has exactly eight days before he has to perform on the world's biggest tech stage. Apple has scheduled its major September product event for September 9, where it is expected to unveil its next iPhone generation and potentially its first-ever foldable iPhone. For a new CEO, that's a baptism by fire.

Ternus, senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, becomes Apple's next chief executive officer effective September 1, 2026, following a transition unanimously approved by the board of directors as part of a thoughtful, long-term succession planning process. Ternus joins Apple's board of directors as he becomes chief. Meanwhile, as executive chairman, Cook will assist with certain aspects of the company, including engaging with policymakers around the world.

Who Is John Ternus?

Ternus joined Apple's product design team in 2001 and has overseen hardware engineering for most major products the company has launched ever since. He is, in many ways, the anti-celebrity CEO. Ternus is almost the opposite of the stereotypical Silicon Valley CEO — he is an engineer, not a marketing executive. His obsessive attention to detail has become the stuff of Apple legend: early in his career, he reportedly spent hours counting tiny grooves on screw heads to ensure a supplier matched Apple's exacting design specifications.

Industry observers and Apple insiders had long viewed Ternus as the most likely candidate to inherit the reins of one of the world's most valuable technology companies. The speculation intensified after Apple's chief operating officer, Jeff Williams, once considered Cook's natural successor, stepped down from operational responsibilities in July 2025. With Williams out of the picture, Ternus emerged as the clear choice. Apple also announced that Johny Srouji will become chief hardware officer, taking over for Ternus in an expanded role, and will also lead hardware engineering.

The Enormous Legacy He Inherits

The shoes Ternus is filling are, by any measure, enormous. It's the first CEO transition for Apple since Cook, now 65, succeeded Steve Jobs at the helm in 2011, shortly before Jobs' death. During Cook's tenure, Apple transformed from a great company into a generational one. Under his watch, Apple grew annual revenue from roughly $108 billion to over $400 billion, launched the Apple Watch and AirPods, and shipped approximately 3.1 billion iPhones. Apple's market cap increased by more than 20-fold on Cook's watch.

As Cook exits, Apple faces numerous challenges, including an increasingly complex supply chain, geopolitical tensions, the Trump administration's tariffs, and a memory crunch tied to soaring demand for AI chips. Analysts are watching closely to see how Ternus handles the political and diplomatic dimensions of the role that Cook mastered. Dan Ives, senior managing director at Yorkville Ives & Co., said "Tim Cook left the house in phenomenal order," but added that "now, it's about Ternus defining the AI chapter" — and predicted Ternus will concentrate on hardware innovation while leaving Cook's supply chain intact.

What Comes Next

The foldable iPhone launch would push Apple into a smartphone category it has resisted, as rivals have experimented with folding screens — and give Ternus an immediate opportunity to put his stamp on the company's most important product. Samsung dominates the niche but growing market for foldable phones, but some analysts think an Apple model could boost those phones' popularity broadly. For Ternus, a hardware engineer by soul, there may be no better opening act.

Analysts have long argued that Apple needs to diversify beyond the iPhone, and Ternus will be under pressure both to improve Apple's AI position and diversify the company away from its dependence on its flagship device. A foldable iPhone would be the most significant redesign in years — and Ternus will be its face, just eight days into the job. If he can deliver on that promise, it won't just be a product launch. It will be a statement about what kind of Apple he intends to build.