John Ternus is widely viewed as the next candidate to become CEO at Apple when the current CEO, Tim Cook, steps down. He is well-liked among the leadership at Apple, as he assisted in reversing product quality at Apple since he took the role of hardware engineering.
Ternus has focused on functional improvements and improving the quality of products. He has been criticized for not doing as much as past chiefs in hardware to create breakthroughs in technology. This may change as Ternus has been working on many devices that are AI-powered, like AirPods with cameras and smart glasses.
Ternus has been given oversight on the design teams of the company by Tim Cook as the year ended, and has been making more appearances in interviews and public appearances. Tim Cook has not shared plans about retirement even with people closest to him.
