John Ternus will be Apple's next CEO (starting September 1, 2026)
Apple: Tim Cook to become Apple Executive ChairmanJohn Ternus to become Apple CEO
Under Cook’s leadership Apple has grown from a market capitalization of approximately $350 billion to $4 trillion, representing a more than 1,000% increase, and yearly revenue has nearly quadrupled, from $108 billion in fiscal year 2011 to more than $416 billion in fiscal year 2025.
From a business perspective, it's undeniable that Tim Cook has been massively successful. Apple was big when he took over, but it wasn't the behemoth it is today. At a very core level, he has been remarkably good at his job. Big Business Boy Birchler has got to respect that.
Cook has also stood by some beliefs that I think are genuinely laudable. Apple's commitment to user privacy leveled up when he was in charge, and his drive to sustainability and the environment is worthy of praise.
That said, while his tenure has been financially successful, I think a lot of people feel like Apple isn't quite the company they originally fell in love with, and I hope Ternus can make us feel more that way again. I recognize that's hard when you're not the scrappy underdog, you're one of the biggest companies in the world, but I do think it's important for Apple to keep that "we do whatever is right for the user" energy and less of that "we extract as much as we're legally allowed to from every user and developer" energy. Insert something here about the shareholders' "bloody ROI".
