Meet the discreet engineer who could be Apple’s next CEO

SAN FRANCISCO — Around 2018, Apple considered adding a small laser to iPhones. The component would allow consumers to take better photos, map the environment more accurately and use new augmented reality features. But it would also cost Apple about $40 per device, reducing the company’s profit margins.

John Ternus, Apple’s head of hardware engineering, suggested adding the component only to the most expensive iPhone Pro models, said two people familiar with the discussions who spoke on condition of anonymity. These devices, Ternus argued, were often purchased by Apple’s most loyal customers, who would be excited about new technology. Average consumers probably wouldn’t care.

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Balancing adding new features to Apple products with attention to the bottom line has defined the careful, low-key style of Ternus, who joined the company in 2001. Today, he is considered by some inside the company to be the front-runner to replace Tim Cook, Apple’s longtime CEO, should Cook decide to step down.

Last year, Apple began accelerating planning for Cook’s succession, according to three people close to the company who spoke on condition of anonymity about confidential deliberations.

Cook, 65, has told senior leaders that he is tired and would like to reduce his workload, these people said. If he steps down, Cook is likely to become Apple’s chairman, according to three sources close to the company.

Despite keeping a low profile, Ternus appears to have rocketed to the forefront as Apple’s next CEO, according to four people close to the company. But Cook is also grooming several other internal candidates as possible successors, two of the people said.

Among them would be Craig Federighi, head of software; Eddy Cue, head of services; Greg Joswiak, head of worldwide marketing; and Deirdre O’Brien, head of retail and human resources.

Ternus, 50, is the same age as Cook was when he took over from Steve Jobs in 2011. Like Cook, Ternus is known for his attention to detail and knowledge of Apple’s vast supply chain.

Both are also seen as even-tempered collaborators, capable of navigating the bureaucracy of one of the world’s richest companies without creating friction.

Ternus’ rise sparked debate among former Apple employees and current employees about whether he would lead like Cook, who succeeded in making the company more predictable and incremental, or like Jobs, who laid the foundation for the company’s success with risky bets and visionary products.

“If you want to make an iPhone every year, Ternus is your guy,” said Cameron Rogers, who worked in product and software engineering management at Apple from 2005 to 2022.

The question for Apple is whether the company needs an innovator or another skilled manager. Although it has been years since the meteoric success of the iPhone and iPad, Apple has had many smaller successes under Cook and remains one of the most profitable companies in the world.

The company also faces delicate challenges, including dealing with President Donald Trump’s frequently changing tariff plans and its dependence on Chinese manufacturing.

Apple’s plans for artificial intelligence are also a big unknown. While other tech giants have spent tens of billions of dollars developing AI, Apple has largely stayed on the sidelines and delayed significant changes to its products featuring new AI technologies.

It will be up to Apple’s board of directors to decide who will eventually replace Cook, who is also on the board. The other eight board members did not respond to requests for comment, and Apple declined to comment or make Ternus available for an interview.

The Financial Times and Bloomberg had previously reported on aspects of Apple’s succession planning.

Ternus, the youngest member of Apple’s executive leadership team, would be the company’s first CEO in three decades to have built a career working on hardware.

Unlike some of the other candidates to replace Cook, Ternus has worked on many of Apple’s devices, as well as the global operations that make those products.

But he would take on the role as a relative unknown outside of Apple. Within the company, he is known more for maintaining products than developing new ones, according to six former employees.

And Ternus, who has been an engineer in Silicon Valley his entire adult life, has limited exposure to public policy issues and the political responsibilities associated with Apple’s top job.

In recent years, Ternus has taken on more responsibility for Apple product updates. He spearheaded the iPhone Air, launched last year with a slim new design, and was a key leader in Apple’s transition in 2020 from using Intel chips in Macs to the company’s own chips.

Ternus was also involved in Apple’s experiments with foldable cell phones, according to one of the people close to the company.

“He’s a good guy,” Rogers said. “He’s someone you want to spend time with. Everyone likes him because he’s great. Did he make tough decisions? No. Solve tough hardware problems? No.”

In a 2024 commencement address at the University of Pennsylvania’s engineering school, Ternus told graduates that in the future, they would be most proud not of specific projects, but of the journey to make them a reality.

“Now, as you are on this journey, there will be many times in your career when you will have to take on something new,” Ternus said. “And sometimes you might wonder if you really can do it.”