Apple CEO Candidate John Ternus is 'Well-Liked' and Helped Reverse 'Declining Product Quality'

[MacRumors]

In an in-depth article for Bloomberg Businessweek today, Mark Gurman profiled Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus, who is widely viewed as the leading candidate to become Apple's next CEO whenever Tim Cook decides to step down.

The article is very long, so we recommend reading it in full, but a few of the key takeaways are that Ternus is apparently "well-liked among Apple's leadership" and helped with "reversing a trend of declining product quality" at the company.

"Since getting the top hardware engineering role in 2021, he's overseen an expansion in Apple's product lineup, improving quality and focusing on functional improvements around battery life, performance and connectivity," wrote Gurman.

However, the article said Ternus has "been criticized for not doing as much as previous hardware chiefs to implement breakthrough technologies."

That might change in the foreseeable future, as the article said Ternus is leading work on several new AI-powered devices, including smart glasses, AirPods with cameras, and a wearable pendant. He has also championed development of a "nearly 20-inch-wide foldable iPad" that could be a laptop-tablet hybrid, according to Gurman.

In addition, the profile revealed that Ternus is overseeing development of "the biggest set of iPhone revamps" in the product's history.

Cook reportedly gave oversight of Apple's design teams to Ternus at the end of last year, and Ternus has been making a lot more public appearances in interviews and in product introduction videos over the past few years. The profile provides a closer look at how Ternus has risen to become the frontrunner to succeed Cook eventually.

Ternus is a product person, whereas Cook is known for his excellent supply chain management.

Cook has not shared his retirement plans with even some of his closest lieutenants, according to the report, so it is unclear when he plans to step down. Cook has served as Apple's CEO since 2011, and he reached the common retirement age of 65 last year. In a recent interview, he vaguely said "I can't imagine life without Apple."

The full Bloomberg Businessweek article: "Apple's 'Nice Guy' Heir Apparent"

Article Link: Apple CEO Candidate John Ternus is 'Well-Liked' and Helped Reverse 'Declining Product Quality'

 

[godorowski]

Great.
Now we need someone who will help to stop declining software quality...

 

[ignatius345]

Great.
Now we need someone who will help to stop declining software quality...

Yep. Apple’s hardware is insanely great these days, but the software truly needs some attention.

 

[zoozx]

Look at Tim Cook and find the Opposite...

 

[Veinticinco]

"I can't imagine life without Apple."

My first thought….How sad.
My second…He’s not going to go quietly, is he?

 

[SkyRom]

"Senior Vice President - Hardware Engineering"
No Desktop Mac updates in 382+ days...

 

[nsklaus]

hurry up, remove tim cook the UI saboteur make him to go away !

what he allowed to happen to macos with big-sur, and up to this day with tahoe, is abomination.

in the future, whenever i'll see a broken design for UI/UX made by some incompetent fool i'll always remember the face of tim cook as the one that had the horror in front of him, he had the power to take the decision, and he said 'yea sure why not .. let's go with it, seems fine to me'.

 

[Leon Ze Professional]

Although Tim Cooks reign as CEO has been very good for Apple. He must be careful not to over stay his welcome. As his personal feelings are not directly in alignment with the best interest of Apple. I personally would like to see him hand over the reins to John Ternus within the next 12 to 18 months.

 

[steve333]

If his first act is to fire whoever infested the Mac with Liquid Ass he has my vote

 

[delsoul]

If he clears house with the software and marketing departments, including project managers and supervisors, John certainly has my thumbs up

 

[lepetitnicolas]

I watched a lot of Keynotes since years. And based on my calculations and observations of Tim Apple and John Ternus during those Keynotes my personal thinking is the following: 
- Tim Apple seems to me to not be the greatest entertainer, not super chill (at least during the first years), robotic but professional. It get the message delivered ("isn't it amazing ?"). So, as a result, having never met the guy (I did once during 2 seconds so it doesn't count) I can construct my personal opinion and say that I think he should be absolutely great with everything operational (setting up new product lines, dealing with big numbers, moving products, etc.) but not so much with people.
- John Ternus (maybe one day "John Apple" or... "John Appleseed" 😎 ?) seems to me in the keynotes to be super chill but knows what he is talking about. Not robotic, not scripted, he look like he's more himself than Tim Apple. The kind of person you'll want to work with and hang out with.

I have no idea who will be the future Tim Apple. But based on my own personal observations during all those keynotes (which means I am the best analyst ever) I think John Ternus may well be able to bring back some Steve Jobs vibe in the company, someone who could be more himself and be able to have a real conversation with normal humans and not a robot which knows only positive amazing words to create only perfect amazing corporate sentences carefully crafted by some other robots somewhere in outer space.

P.S : Frankly I have no idea what I'm talking about. I'm just a guy who watched some keynotes and thought he knew better than everyone else. Hey... wait.... it means I'm a normal guy then 😱

 

[klasma]

"I can't imagine life without Apple."

My first thought….How sad.
My second…He’s not going to go quietly, is he?

It means he’s caught in the RDF.

 

[Dark_Omen]

Although Tim Cooks reign as CEO has been very good for Apple. He must be careful not to over stay his welcome. As his personal feelings are not directly in alignment with the best interest of Apple. I personally would like to see him hand over the reins to John Ternus within the next 12 to 18 months.

I'd love to see it on Apple's 50th anniversary date.

The software looks nice (minus Liquid Glass). The functionality needs to improve quite a bit, including AI.

 

[boswald]

I'm excited to see what John brings to the market. While I don't mind Tim Cook, I think it's time for some fresh ideas.

 

[quietstormSD]

Can we just get another photo of the guy. That one makes him look aloof.

 

[Veinticinco]

 

[Dark_Omen]

 John Ternus (maybe one day "John Apple" or... "John Appleseed" 😎 ?) seems to me in the keynotes to be super chill but knows what he is talking about. Not robotic, not scripted, he look like he's more himself than Tim Apple. The kind of person you'll want to work with and hang out with.

John won't say "and you're going to love it."

 

[I7guy]

"I can't imagine life without Apple."

My first thought….How sad.
My second…He’s not going to go quietly, is he?

He’s going to retire when he’s ready and he announces it.

 

[Veinticinco]

He’s going to retire when he’s ready and he announces it.

Yeah, because it’s all about him isn’t it. Not what’s best for the company.

 

[I7guy]

Although Tim Cooks reign as CEO has been very good for Apple. He must be careful not to over stay his welcome. As his personal feelings are not directly in alignment with the best interest of Apple. I personally would like to see him hand over the reins to John Ternus within the next 12 to 18 months.

I believe his and the boards interests are aligned. And that’s what counts. Record breaking quarters. Increased Apple ownership.

Yeah his personal feelings are irrelevant.

 

[Kidseeghost]

…

 

[I7guy]

Yeah, because it’s all about him isn’t it.

It’s about the job he has done and where he has taken Apple. Through 15 years of “Apple is doomed” here in MR.

It is about him.

 

[robgreene]

Look at Tim Cook and find the Opposite...

This may be true... but not because Tim Cook has done a bad job. On the contrary, he's been a fantastic steward of his role at the helm of Apple. His business mind and approach has been a fabulous fit for the post-Jobs era. Now that Apple has scaled to the size and scope that it has under his tremendous leadership, a case can certainly be made that a different type of leader may be best suited for Chapter 3 when that time comes.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

"I can't imagine life without Apple."

My first thought….How sad.

Huh?
In any way, how is that “sad”?
He has worked at the company since the late 90s and has been its CEO since 2011, I *very well hope* he can’t imagine his life without it.

 

[jarman92]

Wild that Apple allowed this since it’s effectively confirmation that Ternus is the CEO-in-waiting.