Apple CEO Tim Cook recently told in a company meeting that he has already started preparations for who will take charge of the company after him. Although he did not say when he was retiring, it was clear from his words that he was preparing new leaders for the future.
Cook has been holding the position of CEO for the last 15 years.
According to a Bloomberg report, Tim Cook said in the meeting that he often thinks about who will run Apple in the next 5 to 15 years. Cook, who has been holding the position of boss for almost 15 years, has not yet given any date for leaving the job, but he wants that whenever a new leader comes, everything should be done with a lot of planning.
Clarification on recent resignations
When questions were raised on the resignation of some senior Apple executives, Tim Cook answered very comfortably. He said that the departure of these people was not a sudden decision, rather it was already planned. Cook believes that in any big company, retirement of old people and arrival of new people is a normal thing and it is wise to be prepared for this in advance.
AI is the biggest opportunity of today’s time
Along with running the company, Cook also talked about upcoming technology. He said that AI (Artificial Intelligence) is the biggest opportunity of today’s time and Apple is fully prepared to provide its true benefits to its customers. Also, he assured the employees that Apple will continue to try to attract good talent from around the world.
Preparations in full swing to elect new CEO
It is clear from Tim Cook’s words that Apple is fully prepared for its 50th anniversary and the future beyond that. Although Cook is not retiring yet, preparations are in full swing to elect new leaders in the company so that the work does not stop even after his departure. Cook clearly said that his real job is to ensure that even after him, Apple remains as successful as it is today.
Tim Cook’s journey at Apple
Tim Cook’s journey with Apple began in 1998, when he joined the company on the call of Steve Jobs. At that time, Apple was in deep financial crisis, but as soon as Cook came, he completely changed the way the company worked (supply chain). To reduce unnecessary expenses, he closed his own factories and started manufacturing goods from outside, due to which Apple recovered from losses and became profitable. Seeing his ability, he got continuous promotions and by 2005, he became the Chief Operating Officer of the company.
When Steve Jobs started falling ill, Cook took over the entire responsibility and finally in 2011 he became the permanent CEO of Apple. Under his leadership, Apple reached new heights of success and became the world’s first $3 trillion company. He not only introduced new products like Apple Watch and AirPods but also paid special attention to big countries like India. In the year 2023, he himself inaugurated India’s first Apple Stores in Mumbai and Delhi. Today, as Apple nears its 50th anniversary in February 2026, Tim Cook is slowly focusing on his retirement and preparing the company’s next leader so that Apple’s success can continue.
47 iPhone models so far under the leadership of Tim Cook
When Tim Cook took over as CEO of Apple on August 24, 2011, no one thought that he would change the world of iPhone in such a way. From then till February 2026, a total of 47 iPhone models have been launched under his leadership. Their journey started with iPhone 4s, after which Apple changed its strategy by introducing iPhone 5 and then for the first time by introducing two models simultaneously – 5S and 5C. With time, Cook took the pulse of the market and burst into the big-screen ‘phablet’ market in 2014 with the iPhone 6 series. During this period, keeping the budget in mind, they also launched the first iPhone SE. The year 2017 was very special for Apple, when on the company’s 10th anniversary, iPhone X with ‘Face ID’ completely changed the mobile design. After this, by the time the iPhone 11 series came, Apple had set new standards of camera and performance.
Entering the modern era, Apple entered the world of 5G with the iPhone 12 series and thereafter improved the technology further every year through the 13, 14, 15 and 16 series. Recently, the iPhone 17 series, launched in September 2025, has surprised everyone with its new slim ‘Air’ model. Now that another new device (likely iPhone SE 4) is expected to arrive on February 19, 2026, Tim Cook’s accomplishments are clearly visible. Under his leadership, Apple not only remained ahead in technology but the company’s market value also increased from $350 billion to $4 trillion.
The biggest contender after Tim Cook
If reports are to be believed, 65-year-old Tim Cook may remain in his post at least till mid-2026. He himself has said that he is paying full attention to choosing a new and capable leader for the company. The company has not announced any official successor but according to many reports and analysts, John Ternes is the strongest contender in the race.
John Ternes: John Ternes’ name is at the top in this race. He is currently a senior official of hardware engineering at Apple. He has played a big role in improving big products like iPhone and iPad. Considering his 50 years of age and experience, he is being considered the strongest contender to replace Tim Cook.
Sabih Khan: Sabih Khan of Indian origin has now become very powerful in Apple. In July 2025, he has been made the new COO (Chief Operating Officer) of the company. This means that all the work of Apple will now be under his supervision.
Other names: Apart from these names, some other big names like Craig Federighi (Software Head) and Deirdre O’Brien (Retail Head) are also in the race.
