The Financial Times have reported that, tech giant, Apple has raised internal discussions about who will succeed Tim Cook as CEO, with the board preparing for the chief to step down as early as 2026.
Senior leaders have reportedly ramped up succession planning in recent weeks, with hardware engineering chief John Ternus emerging as the leading internal contender. Cook, who turned 65 this month, has been at the helm for nearly 15 years.
Apple is not expected to confirm any transition until after it reports quarterly earnings in late January, though no final decision has been made and the timeline could shift.
The succession follows notable leadership reshuffles in 2025, following the departures of long-time CFO Luca Maestri and COO Jeff Williams earlier this year. Sources told FT that Cook’s transition is unrelated to Apple’s business performance as the company heads into what is projected to be a strong end-of-year iPhone sales cycle.
Richard Windsor, founder of Radio Free Mobile, highlighted Cook’s financial track record, noting the iPhone-maker’s valuation jump from $350 billion at the start of his tenure to around $4 trillion today. “Whether one loves or loathes Mr Cook, he has done a first-class job at taking what Steve Jobs invented and maximising value creation from it”, he noted.
But he warned the next CEO will face tougher strategic decisions as Apple contends with two potentially “existential” challenges: AI and the rise of metaverse-era devices. “There are two challenges that could completely upend the company”, he said, arguing Apple is “really struggling” in AI while rivals push ahead with LLM-powered assistants.
Windsor also pointed to emerging smart glasses momentum led by Meta and RayBan, arguing that if users prioritise glasses over smartphones, “the iPhone would have effectively become obsolete”, he said.
With this backdrop, Windsor argued Apple may need a new approach. “I think the company would be best served with a fresh pair of eyes,” he said, warning an internal appointment risks “more of the same, which is not what I think this company needs”.
Source: Mobile World Live
Image Credit: Apple
