In a subtle yet significant shift within Apple’s executive ranks, hardware engineering chief John Ternus has been quietly assigned oversight of the company’s renowned design teams. This move, orchestrated by CEO Tim Cook at the end of 2025, underscores Ternus’s growing influence and cements his status as the frontrunner to eventually take the helm at the tech giant.According to a report by Bloomberg News’ Mark Gurman, Cook, who turned 65 in November 2025 and has led Apple since 2011, tapped Ternus to manage both hardware and software design functions.
This expansion adds one of Apple’s most pivotal areas to Ternus’s portfolio, which already includes hardware engineering. Internally, Ternus is now designated as the “executive sponsor” for all design matters, serving as a key liaison between the design staff and Apple’s top leadership team.
John Ternus, at 50 years old, is Apple’s youngest senior executive. He joined the company in 2001 and has steadily risen through the ranks, often appearing in public-facing roles such as presenting new Mac products at launch events. His expanded responsibilities come on the heels of former Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams’s retirement in late 2025. At that time, Apple announced that design teams would report directly to Cook, but sources indicate that authority has effectively been delegated to Ternus without formal updates to organizational charts.
This development aligns with Apple’s accelerated succession planning, which intensified in recent years as Cook approaches an age where retirement discussions become more prominent. While Cook shows no immediate signs of stepping down, industry observers view Ternus’s broadened role as deliberate grooming for the CEO position. Other potential successors, such as software head Craig Federighi, services chief Eddy Cue, marketing lead Greg Joswiak, and retail and HR executive Deirdre O’Brien, have been mentioned in various reports, but Ternus has emerged as the clear favorite.
This integration of hardware engineering and design under one leader could prove strategic as Apple pushes forward in areas like artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and next-generation products. The design organization remains one of Apple’s most iconic assets, responsible for the sleek, user-focused aesthetics that define iPhones, Macs, and more.
MacDailyNews Take: Apple’s approach appears aimed at ensuring continuity and exposing Cook’s likely successor to the full breadth of Apple’s operations. With Ternus now bridging hardware, engineering, and the revered design function, the transition — whenever it occurs — looks increasingly structured with the handover intended to be as seamless as possible.
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