Apple is set to appoint John Ternus as its next CEO and transition to an operating structure centered on product development. He is scheduled to officially take office on 1 September, and the company is expected to continue prioritizing a product-led strategy.
Following reports from U.S. technology media, Apple has made public its expectation that John Ternus, who has led product development for many years, will be appointed as its new CEO. Ternus, who will become the incoming CEO, has emphasized his role as a driving force in product design and development rather than in logistics and operations. He is scheduled to officially take office on 1 September, raising the possibility of a significant shift in the center of gravity of management compared with the current structure.
Ternus has spent 25 years at Apple. After serving as senior vice president of hardware engineering, he has recently become one of the company's principal public faces at new product launches. He led development of the first-generation AirPods in 2016, as well as the transition to USB-C, the redesign of the MacBook Air, the slimming of the iPad Pro, and the launch of Vision Pro. Based on this track record, he is expected to determine the broad direction of Apple's product portfolio.
The article identifies strengthening the smart-device business, introducing new materials and manufacturing technologies, and measures to extend product life cycles as product initiatives likely to attract attention after Ternus begins his term. It suggests that these may include future growth strategies such as a possible foldable iPhone and initiatives in artificial intelligence and robotics.
At the same time, some of Ternus's past initiatives have received critical assessments. Products such as the MacBook Pro's Touch Bar and butterfly keyboard have been criticized for failing to win sufficient user support. Whether he can deliver results that exceed current assessments is expected to depend on how he steers product development going forward.