Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering, John Ternus, shared new comments about Apple’s long-term AI plans and ongoing speculation about whether he could eventually become the company’s next CEO. His remarks came shortly after Apple introduced the new MacBook Neo, which aims to bring the Mac platform to a wider audience with a lower starting price.
Ternus discussed why Apple decided to introduce a more affordable Mac now and explained how the company thinks about artificial intelligence across its products. He also addressed the question many observers continue to raise about leadership succession at Apple and his possible role in the future.
ABC News correspondent Elizabeth Schulze spoke with Ternus after the MacBook Neo reveal event in New York City, where Apple showed the new laptop and outlined its broader strategy.
Ternus on MacBook Neo and Apple Intelligence
Ternus said Apple built the MacBook Neo to reach many more users while still maintaining the quality standards expected from the Mac lineup.
“We saw an opportunity here to really just reach a lot, a lot more people than we ever have before. It’s solid, it’s reliable, it’s durable. It’s all the things you want a Mac to be. And yeah, that’s an amazing price point.”
— John Ternus
He also explained why Apple waited years before introducing a lower-priced Mac. According to Ternus, Apple refused to release a cheaper model until the company could build one that still met its internal standards.
“The bar is high. We didn’t want to do it until we could do it really, really well and build a Mac that we were proud of.”
— John Ternus
Ternus also spoke about Apple Intelligence and how the company sees artificial intelligence evolving across its ecosystem. He said the goal focuses on improving everyday tasks in ways that feel natural rather than drawing attention to the technology itself.
“I think Apple Intelligence is going to continue to grow, and it’ll just make things you do better and easier. If we’re doing it right, people won’t even really notice or think about it.”
— John Ternus
CEO speculation and Ternus’ response
The conversation also turned to speculation that Ternus could become Apple’s next chief executive whenever Tim Cook decides to step down. Ternus avoided discussing succession plans and instead focused on his current role inside the company.
“The good news is, I love the job I have. I get to work with the most amazing people in the world, and on days like today when we’ve announced all these products, it is the best place to be.”
— John Ternus
For now, Ternus continues to lead Apple’s hardware engineering teams while helping shape products such as the new MacBook Neo and the company’s expanding Apple Intelligence features.
