Change is coming to one of the most valuable companies on the planet, and Apple is making sure the world knows exactly who’s holding the torch next. During Apple’s Q3 2026 earnings call, outgoing CEO Tim Cook once again shone the spotlight on John Ternus, the hardware engineering chief widely expected to step into the top role — and the praise was anything but subtle.
Cook’s repeated endorsements of Ternus have become something of a pattern in recent months, and industry watchers are reading the signals loud and clear. Whether it’s earnings calls, red carpet appearances, or public interviews, the message from Cupertino seems consistent: Ternus is ready, and Apple wants you to believe that too.
The two were recently spotted together at the Season 4 premiere of Ted Lasso, where they openly discussed the CEO transition and the future of Apple TV+. That kind of visibility is no accident. Apple is a company that controls its narrative with surgical precision, and putting Ternus front and center at a marquee entertainment event signals a deliberate effort to broaden his public profile before he officially takes the reins.
Speaking of Apple TV+, the streaming platform is having quite the moment. Viewership has reportedly hit record highs, and Ternus himself has pledged to keep investing in the content side of Apple’s business. For a platform that once struggled to compete with Netflix and HBO, that’s a remarkable turnaround — and it gives the incoming CEO a genuine win to build on from day one.
Meanwhile, Barron’s has begun running what amounts to a farewell tribute to Cook, whose legacy is nothing short of extraordinary. Under his watch, Apple became the first company to crack a $3 trillion market cap, launched entirely new product categories, and transformed services into a revenue juggernaut. Those are enormous shoes to fill.
But if the early signs are anything to go by, Ternus isn’t intimidated. With a deep background in hardware — the man had a hand in everything from the M-series chips to the iPhone’s design evolution — he brings a builder’s mindset to the corner office.
The Cook era isn’t quite over yet, but Apple’s next chapter is already being written. And it looks like John Ternus is holding the pen.
