Is Tim Cook Leaving Apple? New Reports Suggest CEO May Step Down

Apple CEO Tim Cook is reportedly overburdened with responsibilities and wants to reduce his workload. As per the report, the chief executive, who turned 65 in November 2025, is considering stepping down from his position to enjoy a quieter pace of life. The successor to Steve Jobs is one of the longest-serving CEOs in Silicon Valley, which can make his departure a particularly turbulent period for the company. However, it is said that Cook has shortlisted several candidates to replace him.

Tim Cook Could Reportedly Step Down

According to The New York Times, Apple's succession plans for Tim Cook have been in motion since late last year. Citing three unnamed sources close to the company, the publication claimed that Cook has told senior leaders that he is tired of his current responsibilities and would prefer to reduce his workload. If he does step down from the CEO role, it is said that he will serve as the Chairman of Apple's board.

Cook is reportedly preparing several internal candidates to replace him as the CEO, and the company is unlikely to hire someone from outside the organisation for the job. Among the candidates shortlisted are Apple's Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, Craig Federighi; Senior Vice President of Services, Eddy Cue; Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, Greg Joswiak; and Senior Vice President of Retail and People, Deirdre O'Brien.

However, as per the report, the one most likely to replace Cook is John Ternus, the Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering at Apple. He joined the company's Product Design team in 2001 and was elevated to the current role in 2013. He has overseen the hardware engineering of all of the company's products in the last decade, including the iPhone, iPad, and AirPods. He is also said to be a key leader in the tech giant's ongoing transition of the Mac to Apple silicon.

As per the publication, Ternus was also the guy behind Apple's strategy of making the iPhone Pro models more feature-rich and expensive than the non-Pro models, which was first seen in 2019 with the iPhone 11 series. The decision on who becomes the next CEO will be taken by the company's board, of which Cook is a member.