John Ternus

Person

The incoming CEO of Apple, tasked with steering the hardware giant out of the smartphone era and into the age of AI and robotics.


First Mentioned

6/6/2026, 5:15:48 AM

Last Updated

6/6/2026, 5:18:25 AM

Research Retrieved

6/6/2026, 5:18:25 AM

Summary

John Ternus is an American engineer and business executive who is slated to become the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Apple Inc. on September 1, 2026, succeeding Tim Cook. Ternus joined Apple in 2001 as a member of the product design team and steadily rose through the ranks, becoming Vice President of Hardware Engineering in 2013 and Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering in 2021. Throughout his quarter-century career at Apple, he has overseen the hardware development of core products like the iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, and Apple Watch, and was a key leader in the transition to Apple Silicon. Before his tenure at Apple, Ternus worked as a mechanical engineer at Virtual Research Systems after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania in 1997.

Research Data
Extracted Attributes
  • Education

    Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) in Mechanical Engineering, University of Pennsylvania (1997)

  • Birth Year

    1975 or 1976

  • Current Title

    Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, Apple Inc.

  • Upcoming Title

    Chief Executive Officer, Apple Inc. (Effective September 1, 2026)

Timeline
  • Graduated with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. (Source: Wikipedia)

    1997-01-01

  • Joined Apple's product design team, initially working on external Mac monitors. (Source: Fortune)

    2001-01-01

  • Promoted to Vice President of Hardware Engineering at Apple. (Source: Apple Newsroom)

    2013-01-01

  • Promoted to Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering and joined Apple's executive team. (Source: Apple Newsroom)

    2021-01-01

  • Attended an Apple event in New York as Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering. (Source: CNN Business)

    2026-03-04

  • Apple officially announced that Tim Cook will transition to Executive Chairman and John Ternus will succeed him as CEO. (Source: Apple Newsroom)

    2026-04-20

  • Scheduled to officially assume the role of Chief Executive Officer of Apple Inc. (Source: Wikipedia)

    2026-09-01

John Ternus

John Ternus (; born 1975 or 1976) is an American engineer and business executive who has been the senior vice president of hardware engineering at Apple Inc. since 2021. On September 1, 2026, he will succeed Tim Cook as chief executive officer of Apple.

Web Search Results
  • John Ternus - , - Senior Vice President Hardware Engineering

    # Person Details ## John Ternus Portrait # John Ternus, Senior Vice President Hardware Engineering John Ternus is Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, reporting to CEO Tim Cook. John leads all hardware engineering, including the teams behind iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, and more. John joined Apple’s Product Design team in 2001 and has been a vice president of Hardware Engineering since 2013. Throughout his tenure at Apple, John has overseen hardware engineering work on a variety of groundbreaking products including every generation and model of iPad, the latest iPhone lineup, and AirPods. He has been a key leader in the ongoing transition of the Mac to Apple silicon. [...] Prior to Apple, John worked as a mechanical engineer at Virtual Research Systems. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. ## Apple Footer ### Shop and Learn ### Apple Store ### For Education ### For Business ### For Healthcare ### Account ### Apple Values ### For Government ### About Apple

  • Meet John Ternus, the 51-year-old former swimming champ who will succeed Tim Cook as Apple CEO | Fortune

    Ternus joined Apple’s product design team in 2001, at a pivotal moment in the company’s history. Steve Jobs had returned, the iMac had revitalized the company, and Apple was preparing to launch products that would redefine entire industries. Starting as a relatively junior member of the product design team, Ternus initially worked on external Mac monitors. [...] By 2013, Ternus had been promoted to vice president of hardware engineering, overseeing AirPods, Mac, and iPad development. His portfolio expanded in 2020 when he took charge of iPhone hardware engineering, previously overseen directly by Dan Riccio. When Riccio stepped down in January 2021 to focus on the Apple Vision Pro project, Ternus was promoted to senior vice president of hardware engineering, making him a member of Apple’s executive team. [...] The speculation intensified after Apple’s chief operating officer, Jeff Williams, once considered Cook’s natural successor, stepped down from operational responsibilities in July 2025. With Williams out of contention, Gurman said Ternus emerged as “the most likely heir apparent.” ## Who is John Ternus?

  • John Ternus - Wikipedia

    Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia ## Contents # John Ternus | John Ternus | | --- | | Ternus in 2026 | | | Born | 1975 or 1976 (age 50–51) | | Education | University of Pennsylvania (BSE) | | Title | Senior Vice President for Hardware Engineering of Apple (2021–present) | John Ternus (/ˈtɜːrnəs/; born 1975 or 1976) is an American engineer and business executive who has been the senior vice president of hardware engineering at Apple Inc. since 2021. On September 1, 2026, he will succeed Tim Cook as chief executive officer of Apple. ## Early life and education [...] ## Early life and education John Ternus was born in 1975 or 1976. He received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania in 1997. While at Penn, Ternus competed on the men's swimming team. For his senior project, he developed a mechanical feeding arm operable by individuals with quadriplegia using head movements. ## Career Ternus began his career as a mechanical engineer designing virtual reality headsets at Virtual Research Systems. He joined Apple in 2001 as a member of the product design team, working first on the Apple Cinema Display. In 2013, he was appointed vice president of hardware engineering under Dan Riccio, overseeing the development of the AirPods, Mac "Mac (computer)") and iPad product lines. [...] Wikimedia Foundation Powered by MediaWiki

  • Who is John Ternus, the incoming CEO of Apple? | CNN Business

    Apple veteran John Ternus will take over the $4 trillion company as CEO come September 1. “Having spent almost my entire career at Apple, I have been lucky to have worked under Steve Jobs and to have had Tim Cook as my mentor,” he said in a press release announcing his new position Monday. Here’s what you need to know about Apple’s incoming CEO. ## What does he do? Ternus knows Apple at its core:He is currently the company’s senior vice president of hardware engineering, according to Apple’s website. That means he led the hardware engineering behind Apple’s most recognizable products, such as the iPhone and Mac, as well as newer innovations like the Apple Vision Pro. [...] John Ternus, senior vice president of hardware engineering at Apple Inc., during an Apple event in New York, on March 4, 2026. John Ternus, senior vice president of hardware engineering at Apple Inc., during an Apple event in New York, on March 4, 2026. John Ternus, senior vice president of hardware engineering at Apple Inc., during an Apple event in New York, on March 4, 2026. John Ternus, senior vice president of hardware engineering at Apple Inc., during an Apple event in New York, on March 4, 2026. 16x9 Newark Presser Thumb.jpg 16x9 Newark Presser Thumb.jpg RenameThisHorizontal.00_00_00_26.Still001.jpg RenameThisHorizontal.00_00_00_26.Still001.jpg Jill Biden outside the White House in January 2023. Jill Biden outside the White House in January 2023. [...] He played a major role in new product lines for the Mac, AirPods and iPhone. His team was essential in developing the new MacBook Neo, Apple said in a press release, and the iPhone 17 lineup. ## How long has he been at Apple? Ternus has spent a quarter of a century at Apple. He joined the company’s product design team in 2001 and eventually became a vice president of hardware engineering in 2013. Apple promoted him to the executive team in 2021, when he became senior vice president of hardware engineering. He worked as a mechanical engineer at Virtual Research Systems before joining Apple and he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, according to the press release.

  • Tim Cook to become Apple Executive Chairman John Ternus to ...

    Ternus led much of the company’s focus in areas like reliability and durability, introducing new techniques that have made Apple products remarkably resilient. He has also driven much of Apple’s innovation in materials and hardware design that have reduced the carbon footprint of its products, including the creation of a new, recycled aluminum compound that has been introduced across multiple product lines, the use of 3-D printed titanium in Apple Watch Ultra 3, and innovations in repairability that have increased the lifespans of several Apple products. Prior to Apple, Ternus worked as a mechanical engineer at Virtual Research Systems. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. [...] Ternus joined Apple’s product design team in 2001 and became a vice president of Hardware Engineering in 2013. He joined the executive team in 2021 as senior vice president of Hardware Engineering. Throughout his tenure at Apple, Ternus has overseen hardware engineering work on a variety of groundbreaking products across every category. He was instrumental in the introduction of multiple new product lines, including iPad and AirPods, as well as many generations of products across iPhone, Mac, and Apple Watch. [...] feel they belong and where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.