Apple CEO Tim Cook Should Be Replaced, Research Firm Says

[MacRumors]

Research firm LightShed partners says Apple should consider replacing Tim Cook as CEO, but the change is unlikely to occur any time soon.

In a note to clients seen by Bloomberg, analysts Walter Piecyk and Joe Galone say that "Apple now needs a product-focused CEO, not one centered on logistics."

Bloomberg notes that Apple shares have "badly lagged" behind rivals like Microsoft and Meta this year after losing ground in the race to deliver compelling artificial intelligence features. Apple shares have fallen 16% in 2025, compared with gains of 25% for Meta and 19% for Microsoft. The note added:

Missing on AI could fundamentally alter the company's long-term trajectory and ability to grow at all. AI will reshape industries across the global economy, and Apple risks becoming one of its casualties.

It is worth noting that this year's slump in Apple shares is a comparative blip in the company's long-term performance with Cook at the helm. Apple shares have gained over 1,400% since Cook started as CEO, compared to 430% for the S&P 500.

The comments come after Apple announced that Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams will step down from his position this month. He will be replaced by Sabih Khan.

Williams was once thought to be Cook's most likely successor. Now, senior vice president of hardware engineering John Ternus is believed to be the frontrunner. LightShed says "Tim Cook was the right CEO at the time of his appointment and unquestionably has done a great job," but in the wake of Williams' departure, "it's time for more disruptive change, not less."

However, Cook is unlikely to step down anytime soon. In his latest "Power On" newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that "there's no immediate successor ready to take the helm. There also haven't been signs internally that Cook is getting ready to leave or begin the process of grooming a replacement."

More significantly, "the board doesn't feel the need to make a change. Apple's directors are Cook loyalists like Arthur Levinson, Susan Wagner and Ronald Sugar." Gurman says:

There's no question Cook bears responsibility for Apple's current struggles. That includes the company's AI missteps, an aging product lineup, the erosion of its design-focused culture, a decade-long drought of breakthrough mainstream hardware, and its growing tensions with developers and regulators. But there's also no question that the board still sees him as the only person capable of turning things around.

Put simply: No crisis is big enough to shake the board's faith in Cook.

In fact, Cook's influence at Apple may grow. Gurman believes he could become Apple's chairman, in addition to his role as CEO:

Levinson, Apple's longtime chairman, has already surpassed the company's recommended board retirement age. So it wouldn't be surprising to see Cook eventually step into that role himself, as Iger, Dimon, Microsoft Corp.'s Satya Nadella and Cisco Systems Inc.'s Chuck Robbins have done at their companies. That would give Cook an even tighter grip on the iPhone maker.

Nevertheless, Apple apparently recognizes the need for change at the company. Senior executives such as services chief Eddy Cue have warned that Apple risks becoming the next BlackBerry or Nokia if it doesn't adapt quickly.

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Article Link: Apple CEO Tim Cook Should Be Replaced, Research Firm Says

 

[breenmask]

It's weird that Tim Cook fired the one guy that had a proper AI background right before the AI revolution. Get him back.

 

[Doomtomb]

He's been at the helm a really long time... I thought Vision Pro would be his final serenade but alas here he still is.

 

[syklee26]

Apple should definitely consider an overhaul. Tim may be a good operation guy but he is far behind the guys like Nadella.

Tim’s milk-customers-like-cow strategy has finally worn me out and I am switxhing to Galaxy Fold 7 after using iPhone from 3G until 15.

 

[JapanApple]

Here we go good morning people. Yeah that’s right. I give the people what they want to read, but those who own stock in a company. He’s doing pretty good for us. So why would they replace him.

 

[Plutonius]

Is the research firm funded by the competition .

 

[madebybela]

We've gotten some of the best Macs in over a decade and they want to throw a hissy fit over AI?

 

[wbeasley]

Apple should definitely consider an overhaul. Tim may be a good operation guy but he is far behind the guys like Nadella.

how so? Microsoft make nothing that makes me want to swap back... not hardware, not software.

it's just steady as she goes territory for most big tech.

and we probably as a planet have bigger issues currently than who is CEO of Apple

 

[haunebu]

Finally. This guy's lack of innovation and constant cost cutting has driven all of the creativity out of this company.

What's Tim known for? A failed AR headset and Pride-themed watchbands. Yay.

Time to step aside.

 

[HiVolt]

Maybe they can find someone that is more likeable and doesn't have the public personality of a sock puppet.

 

[con2apple]

Yes, Apple urgently needs a CEO who focuses on the products. So that the empty promises and embarrassing marketing finally stop.

But when these analysts talk about innovative products and want "AI" (actually mean dumb language models and even dumber image generators), please don't listen to them.

 

[smithdr]

Finally. This guy's lack of innovation and constant cost cutting has driven all of the creativity out of this company.

What's Tim known for? A failed AR headset and Pride-themed watchbands. Yay.

Time to step aside.

and Apple Silicon.

 

[chabig]

I don't have much experience with ChatGPT, but Grok is amazing in every way. It's sad to see Siri stumble knowing what might have been. Apple may end up developing their own AI in the long term, but they need something new now. Partnering with an established AI, or opening their systems to let users choose the AI is sorely needed. When the iPhone was introduced, Apple willingly let Google provide the maps before developing their own tech. We've seen the same with CPUs and cellular modems.

 

[russell_314]

Apple should definitely consider an overhaul. Tim may be a good operation guy but he is far behind the guys like Nadella.

Tim’s milk-customers-like-cow strategy has finally worn me out and I am switxhing to Galaxy Fold 7 after using iPhone from 3G until 15.

You’re talking about Apple milking customers then you mention the Microsoft CEO and say you’re going to Google android. Your post is satire right?

 

[TracesOfArsenic]

I could've told you that for free.

 

[nfl46]

Haha, they’re only changing the iPhone because it’s looked the same for years. There haven’t been any significant changes that justify an upgrade. We get these incredible chips, but there’s nothing worth using them for. The iPhone line is currently stale.

 

[Mr_Ed]

It's time. There's no denying what the stock has done during his tenure but logistics and and supply issues are not what made the company great in the first place. They need to get back to what DID make them great to begin with, and Cook seems ill-equipped to lead in that fashion or to surround himself with people who can.

 

[swrobel]

Grok is amazing in every way

Don't you mean MechaHitler?

 

[con2apple]

how so? Microsoft make nothing that makes me want to swap back... not hardware, not software.

(…)

and we probably as a planet have bigger issues currently than who is CEO of Apple

But the question isn't why you don't want to go back to Microsoft, but why Apple isn't managing to expand its market share.
Why, for example, is window management in Windows 11 so simple and convenient, as we have come to expect from Apple, while Apple itself hides a range of options under its green button?

And besides, who really cares about our environment?
Certainly not the readers of a website that reports every other day on rumors about why the latest Apple devices are a must-have.

 

[paulvee]

We've gotten some of the best Macs in over a decade and they want to throw a hissy fit over AI?

exactly. we all drink different Kool-Aid here. I'm with you.

 

[Paddle1]

Maybe the Vision Pro and Apple Intelligence aren't off to the best start, but it could be a lot worse than what Tim has managed.

 

[PhDdropout]

I turn AI off on everything, Apple Intelligence, CoPilot, all those dumb little gimmicky, in-app AI assistants.

 

[Paddle1]

It's weird that Tim Cook fired the one guy that had a proper AI background right before the AI revolution. Get him back.

Scott Forstall wasn't in charge of AI he was in charge of the UI. And whatever "AI" there was in 2012, over a decade ago, wouldn't be anything like what we have today.

 

[heinzel]

OMG - Apple is DOOMED

 

[rappr]

Apple should definitely consider an overhaul. Tim may be a good operation guy but he is far behind the guys like Nadella.

Tim’s milk-customers-like-cow strategy has finally worn me out and I am switxhing to Galaxy Fold 7 after using iPhone from 3G until 15.

The same Nadella that’s laid off 9000 employees this year thanks to AI? Yeah, definitely the direction Tim Cook should be going 🙄