Tim Cook’s Likely Successor as Apple CEO Will Be **** ********

[tradelikepro]

A recent shake-up in Apple’s top management has brought his name back into the spotlight.

This week, reports surfaced that Apple’s longtime Chief Operating Officer, Jeff Williams, is beginning to step back from his role. At 62, Williams has been with the company since 1998 and is widely credited with building Apple’s incredibly complex and efficient supply chain. But he’s unlikely to become the next CEO — possibly due to his age (Tim Cook is only two years older at 64) or simply because Apple feels it’s time for new leadership.

According to multiple Bloomberg sources inside the company, the most likely candidate to succeed Tim Cook is John Ternus. And while this isn’t the first time his name has come up — Mark Gurman has been predicting his rise for over a year — Williams’ gradual exit gives the speculation more weight.

What makes this moment different is that Williams is part of Apple’s old guard — along with Phil Schiller, Eddy Cue, and Craig Federighi — all long-time lieutenants of Steve Jobs. Ternus, however, comes from a slightly different background, even if he shares the same Apple DNA. At 49, he’s also six years younger than the youngest among the senior execs (Federighi is 59). Curiously, Ternus’ exact birthdate isn’t publicly known — only that he was born in May 1975.

Why Ternus might be the right choice:

He runs all of Apple’s hardware. Ternus oversees everything from iPhones, Apple Watches, and AirPods to MacBooks and even the new Vision Pro. While there have been a few missteps under his watch — like the butterfly keyboard fiasco — he’s also had major wins:

    iPads running Apple’s A-series chips

    AirPods powered by W-series chips

    The M-series chip transition in MacBooks, which doubled Mac sales in a stagnating laptop market

He’s worked closely with Apple’s silicon team and has a strong grip across all product categories, including AR/VR — not just a single specialty. And importantly, he knows how to collaborate across departments.

He’s young — and hungry. While he may not yet have the kind of “CEO aura” Cook grew into, he has time and motivation to develop it. Taking the helm now would allow him to steer Apple in a direction of his own for the long term.

There’s also this: Ternus is widely described as a “nice guy” — a good listener, low-conflict, and respected by colleagues including both Cook and Schiller. Some see this as a strength; others view it as a lack of commanding leadership presence.

As for when the leadership transition might happen — no one seems to know. Sources say there’s no defined timeline yet. But it does feel like a moment of strategic indecision at Apple: the company is hesitating between partnering with AI startups or building its own tools, and key bets — on acquisitions, hires, or new directions — are being delayed.

Decisions like those may ultimately fall to the next CEO.

Most likely: John Ternus.