After 15 years, Tim Cook will be handing over the role of Apple’s CEO to John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering. Starting September 1, Ternus will lead one of the world’s most valuable companies, but unless you’re an avid Apple fan, you may have never heard of the man who has largely stayed out of the spotlight.
How long has John Ternus worked at Apple?
Ternus has worked at Apple for nearly half his life. He is now 51 years old and has been with the company for 25 years.
He joined Apple’s product design team in 2001 for his second job out of college (his first job was at a small manufacturer of virtual reality devices called Virtual Research Systems). Ternus served as Vice President of Hardware Engineering by 2013 and was promoted to Senior Vice President in 2021.
Mr. Tarnas, who is 15 years younger than Mr. Cook, was one of the youngest Apple executives rumored to be his successor, suggesting that Apple may be looking for someone to lead the company long-term. After all, Apple has only had two CEOs this millennium, so continuity of leadership appears to be important for the company.
Mr. Ternus reports to Mr. Cook, whom he considers a mentor, and leads all of Apple’s hardware engineering. That’s a pretty big deal for a company known for ubiquitous hardware like the iPhone and MacBook.
In his alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering’s 2024 commencement speech, Ternas reflected on the lessons he learned at Apple. This could probably tell you a little about his character, or at least a sanitized version of it.
“Always think you’re as smart as anyone else in the room, but never think you’re as knowledgeable as they are,” Ternas said in his speech. “This mindset gives you the confidence you need to move forward, but more importantly, the humility to ask questions.”
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In a tech ecosystem rife with aggressive egos, it’s refreshing to hear Ternas utter the word “humility.” Even better, he doesn’t seem to have an X account.
What projects did John Ternus lead at Apple?
Ternus’ first project at Apple involved scrutinizing components for the Apple Cinema Display, an early desktop monitor.
“At some point in my first year, I found myself at a supplier’s facility. I was far from home. Well after midnight, I was using a magnifying glass to count the number of grooves on the head of a screw…and I was arguing with the supplier because these parts have 35 grooves, when they were supposed to have 25 grooves,” Ternus recalled in his commencement speech. “I distinctly remember stepping back for a second and thinking, ‘What the hell am I doing? Is this normal?'”
As Ternus climbed the corporate ladder, his responsibilities increased. He may not spend as much time analyzing screws anymore, but he still seems to take pride in getting the details right. In a recent interview, Tarnas was asked about his favorite memory of Steve Jobs, and he mentioned the former Apple co-founder’s commitment to craftsmanship.
“[Jobs] “I was moving furniture and chests and I pulled it away from the wall and looked at the back and just remembered how beautifully the carpenter who built it did it,” Ternas said. I think about that all the time because I think it perfectly embodies what we’re doing here. ”
From there, he led the hardware development behind products across the Apple ecosystem, overseeing the launch of AirPods, Apple Watch, Vision Pro, and more. He was also involved in major Apple technology upgrades, including the transition from Apple’s Intel chips to proprietary Apple silicon.
Most recently, Ternus helped produce the MacBook Neo, Apple’s new, more affordable laptop model that reduces costs through smart tradeoffs in hardware design, such as using iPhone chips to power the device.
“We never want to ship junk. We want to ship great products with Apple experience, Apple quality. To do that with Neo, we had to build something completely new, leveraging both the technology we’ve developed, including Apple silicon, as well as the expertise we’ve developed over the years building Macs, building phones, building iPads, and more,” Ternus told Tom’s Guide.
As CEO, Ternus will have to steer Apple through the challenge of keeping up with the AI race and figure out what to do with the underlying technology behind Vision Pro.
What else do you know about John Ternus?
Tarnas was on the University of Pennsylvania swim team. For his senior project, he built a nursing arm that people with quadriplegia could control with head movements.
Tarnas donated $2,900 to Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) in 2021, according to public records of political contributions.
Otherwise, Ternus maintains a relatively low profile.
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