Report: Tim Cook’s Exit Is Not Imminent, but Apple’s Next CEO is Almost Decided

Tim Cook still runs Apple, and nothing points to an immediate exit. Yet inside the company, one move has made Apple’s future leadership far easier to read. The board and senior executives now treat John Ternus as the clear next CEO, even if the change will not happen soon.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman wrote in his Power On newsletter that Cook remains firmly in charge and that a handoff is not close. He said the idea of Cook leaving in early 2026 “seems unlikely,” which pushes back earlier reports that suggested a faster exit.

John Ternus got mentioned again

Last week, Cook quietly placed Ternus in charge of Apple’s industrial and software design teams. Gurman called this shift “not trivial,” because Apple grew into a global brand by putting design at the center of every product. Only a small group of leaders have ever controlled that part of the company, including Jony Ive, Jeff Williams, and Cook himself.

Gurman explained that Cook made this move to give Ternus “more parts of the company’s operations” and a larger role across Apple. He added that while there is no baton handoff right now, it is “crystal clear” that Ternus leads the race to become the next CEO.

The New York Times reported that Eddy Cue, Craig Federighi, Greg Joswiak, and Deirdre O’Brien also stood as possible successors. Gurman pushed back on that idea and said those names do not fit Cook’s timeline. He pointed to Sabih Khan, Apple’s new chief operating officer, as the only other executive who makes sense in this context, though even Khan sits behind Ternus.

Board situation

Apple’s board also signals that nothing changes soon. Arthur D. Levinson remains chairman and stands for re election at the shareholder meeting on February 24. Apple even asked shareholders to approve an age exemption so he can stay, which shows that the board plans to keep its current structure for now.

Cook already passed the typical retirement age of 65, yet he still runs the company day to day. That reality supports Gurman’s view that a leadership change sits months away, not weeks.

Even with Ternus in charge of design, Apple does not follow a single design ruler model anymore. Gurman said that “there is no single design decision maker.” Ternus leads hardware design, Craig Federighi shapes software, and Greg Joswiak brings a strong voice across products. The design chiefs Molly Anderson and Steve Lemay still guide the teams, though they now work under Ternus while formally reporting to Cook.

Cook stays in control, and Apple keeps its current leadership team intact for now. At the same time, the company has placed Ternus in the one role that signals true succession. That step makes the long term picture clear even if the short term remains steady.