By Urdu Report Editorial Team
Apple’s leadership transition takes effect on September 1, 2026, with John Ternus set to become the company’s new chief executive officer (CEO). The move will end Tim Cook’s nearly 15-year tenure as Apple’s leader.
Cook will become Apple’s executive chairman. According to the company, the succession is the result of long-term planning and was unanimously approved by Apple’s board.
Ternus takes charge at a challenging time for Apple. The company is facing major questions over artificial intelligence, new products, its global supply chain, reliance on China and growing competition.
From Engineer to Apple CEO
Ternus has a different background from many technology company CEOs. He comes from engineering rather than marketing and joined Apple in 2001.
Over the years, he supervised major hardware projects involving the Mac, iPad, iPhone and Apple Watch. In 2021, he became Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering.
Experts say Ternus has extensive knowledge of Apple’s hardware and product development. However, as CEO, he will also have to manage the company’s complex global operations, supply chain, finances and geopolitical risks.
Foldable iPhone Could Be an Early Test
One of Ternus’s first major tests could come just days after taking office. Apple’s major September product event is expected on September 9, where the iPhone 18 series and several other products could be unveiled.
The biggest attraction may be Apple’s first foldable iPhone, a product that consumers and the technology industry have reportedly been anticipating for years.
Reports suggest the foldable model could have a screen of about 5.5 inches when closed and around 7.8 inches when opened. This could position the device between a conventional smartphone and a small tablet.
Samsung and other companies have already offered foldable phones for several years. Apple’s entry into the segment is therefore being viewed as a potentially significant development for the premium smartphone market.
Artificial Intelligence Is a Major Challenge
Strengthening Apple’s artificial intelligence strategy could be one of Ternus’s biggest challenges.
Apple played an important role in bringing AI-based assistant technology to mobile devices when it introduced Siri in 2011. However, during the recent generative AI boom, the company has faced rapid advances from rivals including Google, OpenAI and Microsoft.
Delays involving advanced Siri features have also raised questions about Apple’s AI strategy. Ternus will have to decide how much AI technology Apple should develop internally and where it should rely on external partners.
Experts say Apple’s strength lies in the close integration of hardware, software and services. Integrating AI into that same model could therefore become an important test for the new CEO.
What Comes After the iPhone?
The iPhone remains central to Apple’s revenue, but the company faces an increasingly important question: what will become its next major product or technology after the iPhone?
Apple has entered new areas through products such as Vision Pro, AirPods and Apple Watch. However, none has achieved commercial success on the scale of the iPhone.
For that reason, the foldable iPhone could represent more than a new product. It may become an early test of the direction Apple takes under Ternus.
China and the Supply Chain
China became a major part of Apple’s manufacturing system during Cook’s tenure. Rising tensions between the United States and China, tariffs, export restrictions and changes in global supply chains have created new risks for the company.
Ternus will need to balance Apple’s existing manufacturing and supplier network in China with efforts to reduce the company’s dependence on the country.
Apple is also expanding production efforts in countries including India and Vietnam. However, its supply chain remains highly complex, involving factories, component manufacturers, machinery, skilled workers and other factors.
A Long List of Potential New Products
Reports suggest Apple could advance several new products during Ternus’s tenure. These include a foldable iPhone, smart home devices, a tabletop robot, camera-equipped AirPods, smart glasses and a home security system.
The company is also reportedly working on a major new design for the iPhone’s 20th anniversary.
Ternus will also face decisions over the future of Vision Pro, revitalizing Apple’s design team and retaining AI-focused engineers.
Can Ternus Surprise the World Again?
Apple’s history of success has not been limited to improving existing products. The Mac, iPod, iPhone, iPad, AirPods and Apple Watch each helped create new markets or address emerging consumer needs at different times.
The central question now is whether Ternus can once again position Apple as a company capable of surprising the technology world with new products and innovations.
His September product event will carry unusual importance because it comes only days after he takes charge.
Ternus will become Apple’s CEO on September 1, followed just eight days later by the September 9 event, where the company could unveil the iPhone 18 series and its first foldable iPhone.
If the foldable iPhone arrives as expected, it could become the first major hardware test of Ternus’s tenure. But his larger challenge will be to strengthen Apple’s position in innovation and technology leadership during the age of artificial intelligence.
