John Ternus takes over Apple as CEO ahead of iPhone 17 event

John Ternus became Apple’s chief executive on Sept. 1, succeeding Tim Cook after a 15-year run and taking charge days before the company’s Sept. 9 iPhone launch event. Ternus, 51, had been Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering and oversaw teams behind the iPhone, Apple’s biggest revenue driver. He steps in as Apple faces mounting pressure to close the gap with rivals in artificial intelligence while preserving the manufacturing network Cook built over decades. Apple has shifted some production to India and Vietnam, but China remains central to both its supply chain and consumer business, leaving Ternus to navigate Washington pressure and Beijing exposure at the same time.