Perfectionist and pragmatist: what we know about Apple's future CEO
In what ways is John Ternus similar to Tim Cook and Steve Jobs and how is he different?
Colleagues describe John Ternus as a meticulous engineer and judicious manager / Photo: apple.com
John Ternus will become CEO of Apple, one of the most expensive companies in the world, in September. Insiders have long called him the most likely candidate to replace Tim Cook. What do we know about him?
- John Ternus has spent 25 years at Apple - half his life. He joined the company in 2001 in a low-level position, starting as a computer monitor designer and working his way up to Senior Vice President of Hardware.
The future CEO has been through all stages of product development and has a deep understanding of the job from the inside, Bloomberg wrote in an article published a month before the reshuffle was announced. He often goes into great detail in meetings and likes to say that Apple's culture is built on engineers who are willing to go above and beyond. All of this could make him a very different leader of the company than Tim Cook and Steve Jobs, the agency noted.
Ternus' LinkedIn lists only one job other than Apple: he was an engineer at a virtual reality company for four years
Under Ternus, Apple has created some of its most important devices, including the iPad and AirPods. Most recently, he introduced the ultra-thin iPhone Air and the $599 MacBook Neo laptop, which immediately sold out. There have been setbacks in his career as well: Ternus initiated a Touch Bar on the MacBook Pro, but the idea didn't catch on with users. Another failure was the so-called butterfly keyboard with a new key mechanism. The keyboard was designed to create thinner laptops, but it turned out to be so uncomfortable and often broke that Apple was sued in a class action lawsuit, which the company settled for $50 million.
What Ternus is truly strong at is execution, Bloomberg writes. If Jobs was a product innovator and Cook was a genius at building supply chains, Ternus is the man who ensures the stable development of devices that generate about 80% of Apple's revenue. He is the man who makes sure that the company releases updated versions of the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch every year, consistently improving the performance of the devices.
- To understand how Ternus will run Apple, one need only pay attention to what he refuses to sell, writes Reuters. While rivals Microsoft and Google are trying to inject artificial intelligence into every corner of their businesses, Ternus treats AI with stubborn pragmatism. "We never think about releasing technology," he said in an interview with Tom's Guide. - We're always thinking about how we can use the technology to create amazing products."
By focusing on devices rather than software, Ternus has more in common with Jobs than with his immediate predecessor. Jobs was similarly not into technology for technology's sake, insisting, "You have to start with the user experience and move toward technology, not the other way around." Throughout his career, Ternus has defended the same principle: the best defense is the best device, Reuters notes.
Ternus' colleagues say that during his tenure, he has been able to reverse a trend of declining device quality that emerged at a time when Apple was putting thinness and finesse ahead of performance, Bloomberg wrote.
"He is a very meticulous engineer and a judicious leader."
Ternus himself recognizes his perfectionism, Reuters reports. In 2024, he spoke at an engineering graduation ceremony at his alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania, and described how once, early in his career, he fought with a supplier in the middle of the night over a tiny screw that was attached to the back of a monitor and not even visible to customers. Ternus noticed that the screw had 35 notches on it instead of the 25 required by the spec sheet, and to him that was unacceptable.
"I distinctly remember stopping for a moment and thinking to myself: "What the hell am I doing? Is this even normal?" But I reflected and realized: it may not be normal, but it's the right thing to do. I spent months working on this product, and if you put that much time into something, you should give it your best. Maybe the customer will notice it, maybe not. But in any case, when I saw this monitor on someone's desk, it was important for me to know that my colleagues and I had thought of every detail in it"
- Within the team, Ternus is known for his poise and is well-liked by Apple executives, Bloomberg noted. Colleagues describe him as a good communicator with a knack for empowering employees - a characteristic Tim Cook also shared.
Apple's hardware and software teams have historically been rivals, but Ternus was able to build a good relationship with Craig Federighi, senior vice president of software engineering. This was a key factor in the successful transition of Mac laptops to Apple's own processors, ending Apple's dependence on Intel, as well as the creation of groundbreaking new products, such as the iPad with OLED displays.
Ternus is fond of cycling and road racing and occasionally takes the team to off-road races, but he cannot be called a daredevil in business, Bloomberg wrote. According to the agency's source, Ternus, like Cook, is risk-averse and doesn't like to "rock the boat."
"If you think Tim Cook is doing a good job, you'll assume John Ternus will do a good job, too"
Ternus is not a Steve Jobs-like showman but a "Tim Jr." in management style, and he will likely continue to run the business the way Cook did, the agency said. "He's not a marketing wizard. But he's a product man who also knows how to play politics," he said.
At the same time, Ternus's colleagues describe him as someone who is willing to make clear decisions on his own, Bloomberg notes. This makes him closer to Jobs, as opposed to Cook, who is more consensus-seeking oriented.
"If you come to Tim with the question "A or B?" he won't make a choice. Instead, if he has doubts, he'll ask a whole series of questions," the Apple insider revealed. Ternus, on the other hand, will choose one thing, he said, "He might be wrong, but at least it will be a decision."
However, Ternus' colleagues say that while he has a knack for connecting with people, he is not yet ready to take over Cook's role as the government relations person. Cook, in his role as executive chairman, will focus on government relations and geopolitics - including Apple's work in China and relations with U.S. President Donald Trump.
- Ternus realizes he needs bolder products and a clear AI strategy, the source told Bloomberg. He's now overseeing the biggest update to the iPhone lineup in its history, with a foldable model expected to be released this year and an edge-to-edge screen version by 2027. The future CEO is also overseeing the development of several AI-enabled devices for the home, as well as wearable gadgets including glasses, headphones and a pendant with cameras that use computer vision to recognize their surroundings.
It's unclear which AI devices will resonate with consumers - other companies have already suffered high-profile failures, Bloomberg notes. Nevertheless, such projects could play to the strengths of both Apple itself and Ternus personally. "He's the only Apple executive with a track record of creating integrated hardware and software products and plenty of time ahead of him," said the agency's source at the company, hinting at Ternus' age: in his 50s, he's younger than all the top executives. If Apple intends to stick to the strategy that has made it the world's largest consumer electronics manufacturer over the past half-century, Ternus is the best choice, the source said.
This article was AI-translated and verified by a human editor
