Tim Cook steps down as Apple CEO after 15 years

Apple CEO Tim Cook is stepping down today, August 31, 2026, ending his 15-year tenure at the helm of the technology giant.

Cook became Apple CEO in 2011, succeeding the late Steve Jobs, and oversaw Apple expand its products, services and global operations. He will not be leaving Apple completely.

Cook will become Executive Chairman of Apple’s board, where he will continue to support the company on strategic matters and engage with policymakers around the world.

Apple’s hardware engineering chief, John Ternus, will officially take over as CEO in September 1, 2026.

The leadership change marks the end of Tim Cook era and beginning of a new chapter for Apple, with artificial intelligence, product innovation and global competition expected to be major priorities under Ternus.

Over he years, Apple launched or introduced several major products and technologies under Cook’s leadership, including: iPhone 4S through iPhone 17 series, Apple Watch, AirPods, Apple Vision Pro, Apple Pencil, HomePod, Apple Silicon, MagSafe ecosystem, Face ID, Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple Pay.

The list highlights how Apple’s identity evolved during Cook’s tenure.The company moved beyond being primarily an iPhone and Mac maker to building a much broader ecosystem spanning wearables, spatial computing, services, payments and custom silicon.

As John Ternus takes over the helm as the new CEO, his appointment would represent a relatively familiar choice for Apple, prioritising product development and execution rather than signalling a dramatic change in direction.

Ternus will nevertheless inherit a company facing several major challenges. Apple is under pressure to demonstrate meaningful progress in artificial intelligence, while smartphone upgrade cycles have slowed and competition in premium devices continues to intensify. Regulatory scrutiny across major markets is another issue facing the company.

For Apple, the succession represents a carefully planned transfer of leadership. For Cook, it closes remarkable journey that began with an operations role in 1998 and eventually took him to the company’s top position.

His career at Apple has therefore come full circle in an unusual way. The executive who once focused on making the company’s operations more efficient will move away from its day-to-day management and into senior boardroom role, leaving the running of Apple to a new generation of leadership.

-9News Nigeria.