WITH Tim Cook As he turns 65 on Saturday, November 1, speculation is heating up about who could succeed him as Apple CEO if he decides to step down. Cook hasn't announced he will step down, but according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the tech giant is working behind the scenes to ensure smooth transition when the time comes.
Cook succeeded Steve Jobs in 2011, and after a period of uncertainty, Cook led Apple into its most profitable era. This is reported by the stock monitoring site Stocktwits. company shares rose by about 1,800% since Cook took over the company.
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Jobs may have introduced devices such as iPhone into everyday use that has changed the way we interact with technology, but Cook has expanded the Apple experience. Under his leadership, the company built on the Apple smartphone to introduce subscription services and other mobile products, including headphones And wearable devices.
He introduced Apple Pay, Beats headphones became part of the company's ecosystem, Apple Watch was launched 10 years ago, and Apple has even entered the entertainment business, producing Oscar-winning original films and Emmy-winning TV shows, through Apple TV Plus.
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Tim Cook shows off the new orange iPhone 17 at Apple Event 2025.
We must reiterate that the idea of Cook resigning is pure speculation at this time. We don't know what the Apple CEO is currently planning or what he is thinking about retiring. However, there are several claimants who have reportedly been involved in succession negotiations.
Potential contenders for the post of Apple CEO
Apple likely has a “strong bench of successors” being developed by the company's board of directors, says Brian Ma, vice president of device research at IDC.
“But the anxiety is heightened when such a valuable and iconic company is not clearly visible,” says Ma. “The problem is compounded by the fact that big rock stars like Steve Jobs and Tim Cook set the bar. The next generation of leaders has a very big job ahead of them.”
John Ternus, Apple's current vice president of hardware engineering, topped Gurman's list. Ternus has worked at the tech giant for more than two decades, so he has the knowledge and experience needed to elevate the CEO role. It would be helpful if there was an engineer behind the wheel.
Ternus appeared at Apple's September event to present iPhone Air. He's 50 years old, the same age Cook was when he took over as Apple's CEO.
Other potential suitors being considered include Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of software engineering; Greg Joswiak, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing; and Jeff Williams, the company's former chief operating officer, according to the report Apple Insider. October 10 Bloomberg reported this. that Federighi will also soon oversee the WatchOS operating system for the Apple Watch, and Ternus will oversee Apple Watch hardware development following Williams' departure at the end of the year.
Federighi has worked at Apple for a long time and has experience in public speaking. Apple Events – this would be vital if he were to succeed Cook as CEO. Given his current role, Joswiak has a broader view of marketing and a broader view of the company, and may not be as tech-savvy as Ternus and Federighi. Williams was considered to replace Cook until the end of his role as chief operating officer was announced, Gurman said. (He's now Apple's senior vice president of design, watches and health.) Cook served as chief operating officer before succeeding Jobs as CEO in 2011. Sabih Khan will take over as chief operating officer, which also puts his name in the running.
When Cook steps down, Apple will undoubtedly have a pool of qualified people from which to choose to take on the leadership mantle. Who exactly will take up the mantle remains to be seen.
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
