Tim Cook has stepped down as Apple's chief executive, handing the role to John Ternus, the company's senior vice president of hardware engineering, in a transition he framed around Apple's continued focus on building great products. In a farewell memo to staff on his last day, Cook praised Ternus's product expertise and stressed that he is "not leaving Apple", but merely moving on from the CEO title, staying on as executive chairman with responsibility for political relationships including those with President Trump and the Chinese government.

Ternus has overseen recent Apple launches including the ultra-thin iPhone Air, the cheaper MacBook Neo, and AirPods with hearing health features, and his promotion signals a renewed emphasis on hardware and product execution as Apple navigates the AI era. Cook's memo, first reported by Bloomberg, avoided detail on looming challenges such as AI strategy, services, regulation and China, instead thanking staff and invoking Apple's culture and Steve Jobs's famous ambition to "leave a dent in the universe". Cook also posted a farewell message on X, expressing gratitude to the Apple community as his title formally changes.