Tim Cook is finally stepping down as Apple’s CEO after 15 years at the helm. On Thursday, his recently named successor, John Ternus, made his first earnings call cameo as the incoming CEO and gave a veiled glimpse into what Apple enthusiasts could expect from his tenure.

“We have an incredible roadmap ahead, and while you’re not going to get me to talk about the details of that roadmap, suffice it to say, this is the most exciting time in my 25-year career at Apple to be building products and services,” Ternus told investors.

When asked about his advice for Ternus, Cook said to “never forget” that Apple users are “the North Star for the company.”

“We’re about making the best products in the world that really enrich other people’s lives. And if you keep focusing on that and make your decisions around that, it will produce a great business, and we’ll be able to build more products and do it all over again,” Cook said on the call. “Our roadmap is incredible, and most importantly, we have the right leader ready to step into the role. As I have said, there is no one on this planet I trust more to lead Apple into the future than John Ternus.”

Ternus’s term as CEO will begin in September. Though the executives are keeping the product roadmap secret for now, a foldable iPhone is expected, and Apple wants Ternus to be the face people associate with it.

In his current role, Ternus leads the company’s hardware engineering efforts. The prospect of having a hardware specialist in charge has excited Apple fans who have been unsatisfied with what they claim is a slowdown of innovation in product releases. Cook has been blamed for this lack of revolutionary changes.

But while he may not have been as innovative as Steve Jobs, Cook oversaw the company’s transition into a trillion-dollar behemoth four times over. On Thursday’s earnings call, Ternus promised to continue Cook’s style of financial leadership.

“One of the hallmarks of Tim’s tenure has been a deep thoughtfulness, deliberateness, and discipline when it comes to the financial decision-making of the company, and I want you to know that is something Kevan and I intend to continue when I transition into the role in September,” Ternus told investors (Kevan being Apple CFO Kevan Parekh).

Apple is already promoting Ternus’ hardware engineering prowess as a benefit for the company. On the call, Cook shared that the iPhone 17 family, which was spearheaded by Ternus, is currently the most popular product lineup in Apple’s history.

Products aside, Ternus will also have a lot to answer for on the artificial intelligence side. The tech giant has been taking things slow on AI, while peers like Google and Microsoft soar past with AI innovations. The company has long promised a major leap in AI with an enhanced Siri, but had to push back the release at the very last minute in March 2025. The delay disappointed fans, reportedly caused an internal rift at the company, and even led to federal lawsuits accusing Apple of false advertising. The personalized Siri was expected to arrive early this year, but was reportedly delayed yet again.

In the call, Cook reiterated that the “more personalized Siri” would still be revealed later this year.

#Apples #Incoming #CEO #Earnings #Call #DebutApple,john ternus">Apple’s Incoming CEO Makes His Earnings Call Debut

Tim Cook is finally stepping down as Apple’s CEO after 15 years at the helm. On Thursday, his recently named successor, John Ternus, made his first earnings call cameo as the incoming CEO and gave a veiled glimpse into what Apple enthusiasts could expect from his tenure.

“We have an incredible roadmap ahead, and while you’re not going to get me to talk about the details of that roadmap, suffice it to say, this is the most exciting time in my 25-year career at Apple to be building products and services,” Ternus told investors.

When asked about his advice for Ternus, Cook said to “never forget” that Apple users are “the North Star for the company.”

“We’re about making the best products in the world that really enrich other people’s lives. And if you keep focusing on that and make your decisions around that, it will produce a great business, and we’ll be able to build more products and do it all over again,” Cook said on the call. “Our roadmap is incredible, and most importantly, we have the right leader ready to step into the role. As I have said, there is no one on this planet I trust more to lead Apple into the future than John Ternus.”

Ternus’s term as CEO will begin in September. Though the executives are keeping the product roadmap secret for now, a foldable iPhone is expected, and Apple wants Ternus to be the face people associate with it.

In his current role, Ternus leads the company’s hardware engineering efforts. The prospect of having a hardware specialist in charge has excited Apple fans who have been unsatisfied with what they claim is a slowdown of innovation in product releases. Cook has been blamed for this lack of revolutionary changes.

But while he may not have been as innovative as Steve Jobs, Cook oversaw the company’s transition into a trillion-dollar behemoth four times over. On Thursday’s earnings call, Ternus promised to continue Cook’s style of financial leadership.

“One of the hallmarks of Tim’s tenure has been a deep thoughtfulness, deliberateness, and discipline when it comes to the financial decision-making of the company, and I want you to know that is something Kevan and I intend to continue when I transition into the role in September,” Ternus told investors (Kevan being Apple CFO Kevan Parekh).

Apple is already promoting Ternus’ hardware engineering prowess as a benefit for the company. On the call, Cook shared that the iPhone 17 family, which was spearheaded by Ternus, is currently the most popular product lineup in Apple’s history.

Products aside, Ternus will also have a lot to answer for on the artificial intelligence side. The tech giant has been taking things slow on AI, while peers like Google and Microsoft soar past with AI innovations. The company has long promised a major leap in AI with an enhanced Siri, but had to push back the release at the very last minute in March 2025. The delay disappointed fans, reportedly caused an internal rift at the company, and even led to federal lawsuits accusing Apple of false advertising. The personalized Siri was expected to arrive early this year, but was reportedly delayed yet again.

In the call, Cook reiterated that the “more personalized Siri” would still be revealed later this year.

#Apples #Incoming #CEO #Earnings #Call #DebutApple,john ternus