• by Laurie Sullivan , Yesterday

Tim Cook is stepping down from his role as CEO of Apple, and John Ternus has been named as Cook's successor. The CEO transition began today with a public announcement, with the completion scheduled for September 1, 2026.

Ternus, a hardware engineer and 25-year veteran at Apple, has been central to the development of the iPhone and Mac. His background in engineering suggests Apple will focus on innovations across hardware that advertisers also rely on to reach consumers.

Analysts predict the new leadership will accelerate the development of the next generation of hardware that creates new formats and spaces for immersive ads.

“I am profoundly grateful for this opportunity to carry Apple’s mission forward,” stated Ternus in a blog post on the company’s website. “Having spent almost my entire career at Apple, I have been lucky to have worked under Steve Jobs and to have had Tim Cook as my mentor. It has been a privilege to help shape the products and experiences that have changed so much of how we interact with the world and with one another.”

Ternus also has been instrumental in the design of Apple Silicon such as the M-series chips. More powerful processors enable faster and more complex advertising experiences, such as high-fidelity video and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven personalization on the devices to protect privacy.

Amidst all this change, Cook will remain as executive chairman, and will focus on engaging with global policymakers. His continued presence helps manage the regulatory and antitrust pressures that often impact ad tracking and app-store rules. 

Cook has defined regulatory changes for Apple, marked by a "privacy-first" philosophy that has frequently positioned the company as a leader in the protection of consumers -- sometimes to the detriment of major advertisers.

For example, the move against traditional advertising in 2021 occurred with the rollout of App Tracking Transparency (ATT), which requires apps to show a prompt asking for permission to track users across other apps and websites.

The same year, the feature reportedly cost major platforms like Meta, Snap, and YouTube an estimated $10 billion in revenue as attribution data "crumbled."

ATT boosted Apple Search Ads and became a dominant player for mobile app installation ads as marketers sought alternatives.