We're already seeing claims on social media that John Ternus will change everything, quickly. Almost nothing changed in the first few years under Tim Cook, and even less will now.
Apple's leadership history is punctuated by three significant events: Steve Jobs leaving, his return, and his death. The CEO transition in September 2026 will be the first low-drama change the position has seen since the company's inception.
When Tim Cook took over from Steve Jobs, it was after years of careful consideration. He wasn't picked by Jobs by accident, nor was he rushed into the job beyond Jobs' untimely death.
Whatever your opinion of Tim Cook and his role as Apple CEO these last 15 years, he's truly excelled. He made changes, slowly, and moved away from Steve Jobs where necessary, but much later.
When Jobs returned, he quickly pushed away from beige with the iMac. After that was the iPod and iPhone over the course of the next decade.
The iPad was introduced as the future of computing by Jobs, who oversaw the product and took on an enormous design role. Even Cook's push into China and supply chain restructuring began under Jobs.
Among the first products considered after Steve Jobs died was the Apple Watch. Then Apple designer Jony Ive said that the concept was discussed in 2012 and didn't release until it was ready in 2015.
Apple Watch was a natural evolution from Jobs' product history
Apple Watch was an evolution of an Apple moving beyond iPod, and had been rumored for years before, when Jobs was still alive. Prototype models even resembled the iPod nano and the concept didn't veer from the Apple of the previous decade.
The most significant shifts Apple took were the ones away from the iPhone well after Jobs. However, services like Apple Music and Apple TV were pioneered by Jobs with the enormous effort it took to launch the iTunes Music Store.
And like Jobs, Apple under Tim Cook had some, well, let-downs.
Cook's legacy
Apple learned a lot about computer vision and materials from the abandoned 10-year Apple Car project. Then there's Cook's hope for the future of Apple Vision Pro and spatial computing.
Tim Cook hopes that he was the starting point of the spatial computing future
Those could only have been considered and researched with the money that the company made under Cook.
Those two, plus massive financial success, plus Tim Cook's departure from Steve Jobs can be punctuated by the move into services, wearables, and the smart home.
I have very little doubt we'll see similar, glacial-paced change with Ternus in charge. Eventually. After years. But not soon.
Especially since Tim Cook will still be around as Executive Chairman for the foreseeable future.
A glacial transition
So many Apple fans seem to live under the fantasy that Apple can change its mind and course overnight. A lot of decisions are made well in advance of the public learning about them, or leaks are often pertaining to old data that are only just seeing the light of day.
In either case, people hear "Apple just decided this," even when the story is much more complex. For example, a leak about a change found in an internal beta in March is likely being shared from a build released in December that was planned in October.
It is almost never "Apple suddenly," even if it appears that way.
The same confusion can be seen around a vocal minority demanding changes to Liquid Glass. Some seem to believe that Alan Dye's departure in 2025 will lead to Apple abandoning Liquid Glass overnight, when it won't.
Even if Apple wanted to significantly alter iOS in some way, it isn't something that could be changed by a penstroke, instantly, even with new leadership. Those decisions are made months in advance, and no matter how hard someone pushed, they couldn't be implemented properly until the following WWDC, if at all.
The point is, John Ternus might have his own ideas for Apple and its future, but those are going to have to wait. Everything that is in motion today was set into stone months or even years ago.
Whatever Apple under Ternus' total command looks like, we won't truly know for some time.
Ternus is part of the hive
Tim Cook and the board didn't select John Ternus as the CEO candidate because of his posture and selection of t-shirts. He was picked because he's the perfect reflection of Apple, its values, and its current goals.
John Ternus was chosen by Apple and its board
If Ternus was a radical figure with a different leadership style with the intent to change things, he would never have been chosen. Simply put, Ternus is a mirror of Cook.
Of course, he is still a different person. Ternus will no doubt have some effect on Apple and its future, but only on what hasn't already been decided.
So, instead of looking for Ternus to bring back the headphone jack on iPhones or reintroduce the iPod, think smaller. Apple is a big ship, moving fast, with a set course.
Perhaps Ternus is all in on spatial computing and wants to pursue that end result more directly. Or maybe he's dedicated to seeing iPads return to the "future of computing" slot. We don't know, and nobody but Ternus, his friends, the board, and Tim Cook know.
On top of that, Apple is a very secretive company, so there's no knowing what might change and when without some accurate leaks. We're expecting some utter nonsense to pop out like it did after Cook took over both times, and those are always entertaining to parse.
Apple CEOs by the numbers
Steve Jobs was in charge of Apple in his second coming for 5090 days. He was the iCEO from September 1997 to January 2000, followed by him taking the crown in full until August 24, 2011.
Ternus will be one of the less dramatic transitions Apple has seen
Cook crossed the time that Jobs spent as CEO in late 2025. On September 1, Cook will have led Apple for 5487 days.
Apple likes money. The board and investors like it very much too. Cook increased Apple's market capitalization from $350 billion in 2011, to $4.01 trillion at close of market on April 20.
There won't be changes, just based on that alone. The path that they are on is printing money. Nobody wants the money printer to stop.
And then there's Apple's roadmap. This is not some DC metro roadworks project that is over-capacity before it is done. Apple's roadmap is firm for years, and sketched out for years after that.
Only after that time, will the minute effects of Ternus on the helm starting in September 2026 may be observable. More likely, we won't know what changed until the inevitable books are written in 2040.
Outside of other executive changes, don't expect much beyond the usual status quo through probably 2030.
