Apple is preparing for Tim Cook to step down as CEO of the company "as soon as next year," according to the Financial Times.
The company's board of directors and senior executives "recently intensified preparations for Cook to hand over the reins," the report said.
While the report said that Apple is unlikely to name a new CEO before its next earnings report in late January, it went on to explain that an announcement early in the year would allow for a smooth leadership transition, ahead of Apple's annual developers conference WWDC in June and iPhone event in September.
No final decisions have been made, and the timing could change, the report said.
Cook has been Apple's CEO since August 2011. He turned 65 this year, which is a common age for retirement in the United States, but he has yet to publicly announce any plans to step down. Apple's Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, John Ternus, is widely viewed as Cook's most likely successor when the time comes.
Ternus joined Apple in 2001. At 50, he is one of Apple's younger senior executives, so he could potentially have a lengthy run as CEO.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman pushed back on the report. "I don't get the sense anything is imminent as the [Financial Times] is claiming," he said, in a post today.
In any case, the report said Apple's succession plans are not related to the company's current performance. Apple reported record revenue in the September quarter, and the company expects the current December quarter to be the best quarter in the company's history. In addition, Apple's stock price is near its all-time high.
Saturday February 7, 2026 9:26 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today shared an ad that shows how the upgraded Center Stage front camera on the latest iPhones improves the process of taking a group selfie.
"Watch how the new front facing camera on iPhone 17 Pro takes group selfies that automatically expand and rotate as more people come into frame," says Apple. While the ad is focused on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the regular iPhone...
Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by Juli Clover
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do.
The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up.
Upgraded Architecture
The next-generation...
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld.
The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld.
Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Monday February 9, 2026 6:24 am PST by Joe Rossignol
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps.
The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future.
To set up the...
New MacBook Pro models with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips could arrive as soon as Monday, March 2, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In today's "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that the release of new MacBook Pro models is tied to the release of macOS Tahoe 26.3. The launch is said to be slated for as early as the week of March 2. He added that the M4 Pro and M4 Max models on sale today...
We need a design focused leader that will take risks on new technology, someone with long term vision. Apple nowadays can afford it without too much risk to its bottom line. This is a must to get Apple back in the leadership position on the market.
No more chasing a high stock price with buy backs etc. Spend that money on R&D!
It’s time. John Ternus is a product design guy who has put out some amazing hardware. Apple needs that right now. Tim got the company massive profit but they have lost their soul in recent years.
He undoubtedly made Apple a boatload of money, so I can’t say he did bad in that sense — but man, I can’t wait to not see him in product launches and interviews. His enthusiasm seems sooooooo inauthentic. He hardly seems like a genuine tech enthusiast.
Every year, it’s, “oh man I am so excited [for these marginal upgrades].” Like bruh, not even Apple’s staunchest fanboys are excited as you supposedly are.
Tim Cook did a tremendous job. Anyone who doesn't see that needs to think about how bad things could have gone after Steve Jobs. But now is a great time for a change of leadership, because the tech landscape is starting to drastically change. A fresh pair of eyes will be welcome.
