Apple enters post-Cook era chasing its next hit
TL;DR
The Tim Cook era is closing as Apple hardware chief John Ternus takes over as CEO, with Cook remaining at the company. The core challenge: figuring out what comes after the iPhone. Despite success with Apple Watch, AirPods, and services, Apple hasn't broken into a major new category and has stumbled into the AI era.
Nauti's Take
A hardware-focused CEO could be exactly what Apple needs to push into AI-native device categories — Ternus has a proven track record of executing major launches. The risk: Apple's history of catching up in software and AI is uninspiring (Siri, Maps).
The gap to Google and OpenAI is real. Worth watching closely, not celebrating yet.
Sources