Apple's hardware chief on CEO speculation: "Love the job I have"
During the presentation of the MacBook Neo, Apple's top hardware executive also gave an interview. He was tight-lipped on one central question.
(Image: Apple)
John Ternus, Apple's Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering and thus the company's top hardware chief, has commented for the first time on speculation that he has been offered the CEO position at the iPhone manufacturer. In a TV interview on the occasion of the release of the MacBook Neo, he said the good news is that he loves the job he already has.
The most amazing people in the world
“I get to work with the most amazing people in the world, and on days like today, when we've introduced all these products, it's the best place to be,” Ternus told US broadcaster ABC. As expected, he did not directly answer the question about a possible new job. Rumors had been circulating since last year that Tim Cook was on the verge of stepping down.
A major article in the Financial Times even stated that the current CEO would leave the post between January and June 2026. However, other media outlets later retracted this. The plan was reportedly for him to then become chairman of the board to support his successor. Cook turned 65 last year and has held the CEO role for 15 years as of August. Ternus was born in 1975, making him 50.
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Don't think about Apple Intelligence
In the ABC interview, Ternus was also asked about a current issue at Apple: the lag in AI, which the company aims to catch up on with the help of Google's Gemini. He believes Apple Intelligence will “grow” and make things “better and easier” in the future. Ternus's idea of AI is that it's best not to notice it at all, or that users shouldn't have to think about it. “They'll just have a new feature that they start using more and more because they really like it.”
According to Ternus, Apple is always focused on delivering the right user experience to customers. When this will be the case for Apple Intelligence remains unclear. Currently, the first improvements for Siri are expected within iOS 26, but observers do not expect a real AI breakthrough before iOS 27 in the fall.
(bsc)
