“I love the job I...”: Apple SVP John Ternus responds to speculation about replacing Tim Cook as CEO

John Ternus

• John Ternus says he is focused on his current role at Apple
• Ternus discusses MacBook Neo launch and Apple's AI strategy
• Apple has not publicly outlined a CEO succession plan

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Apple’s Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, John Ternus, has addressed speculation that he could eventually replace Tim Cook as the company’s next chief executive.

The comments came after Apple unveiled the new MacBook Neo. During an interview with ABC News, Ternus spoke about the laptop, Apple’s approach to artificial intelligence, and rumours about him potentially becoming Apple’s future CEO.

While he did not directly discuss succession plans, Ternus responded by emphasizing his current role at the company and the work he is involved in.

John Ternus responds to CEO speculation

During the interview, ABC News asked Ternus about speculation that he could be in line to lead Apple in the future.

Responding to the question, Ternus said he remains focused on his current responsibilities.

“Well, the good news is, I love the job I have,” Ternus said.

He added that working with Apple’s teams and launching new products continues to be the most rewarding part of his role.

“I get to work with the most amazing people in the world, and on days like today when we’ve announced all these products, it is the best place to be,” he said.

Ternus did not comment further on leadership succession, something Apple rarely discusses publicly.

Why Ternus is often mentioned as a potential successor

Ternus currently leads Apple’s hardware engineering division and oversees development of several of the company’s major products including the iPhone, Mac, and iPad.

He joined Apple in 2001 and has worked on multiple hardware teams over the years. In 2021, he took over as the head of hardware engineering after Dan Riccio transitioned to a different role within the company.

Because of his leadership role and long tenure at Apple, analysts and industry observers have frequently named Ternus among potential candidates who could lead the company in the future.

However, Apple has never publicly outlined a succession plan for the CEO role.

Focus remains on Apple products and AI

In the same interview, Ternus also spoke about Apple’s strategy around artificial intelligence and the launch of the MacBook Neo.

He said Apple Intelligence will continue to expand across Apple devices, adding that the company aims to integrate AI features into everyday tasks rather than present them as standalone tools.

Ternus said that if Apple is implementing AI correctly, users may not always notice the technology directly, but will benefit from features that make tasks easier.

For now, Ternus indicated that his focus remains on building Apple’s hardware products and working with the teams responsible for bringing them to market.