Apple has announced a key leadership change by appointing John Ternus as CEO later this year, succeeding Tim Cook.
This decision is seen as a strategic turning point in the context that "Apple" is facing artificial intelligence (AI) competition pressure, supply chain fluctuations and an unstable global trade environment.
Under Tim Cook, Apple has risen to become a technology empire worth about 4,000 billion USD, strongly expanding its service segment and achieving record business years.
However, John Ternus, a veteran leader in the field of hardware engineering, brings a different direction.
Joining Apple in 2001, he has contributed to the development of many key products such as AirPods, Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro.
The appointment of Ternus shows that Apple may return to the hardware focus, especially in integrating AI directly into devices.
Instead of racing to build giant AI models like many competitors, Apple is said to focus on the smart device ecosystem surrounding the iPhone, with the assistant Siri playing a central role.
Many new product ideas are being rumored, including smart glasses, wearable devices with integrated cameras or the AI-integrated AirPods generation.
These devices can operate closely linked to the iPhone, forming a network that personalizes the user experience.
In addition, Ternus is expected to promote stalled hardware projects. Notably, the foldable screen iPhone model, a product that has been rumored for many years but Apple is still delaying it to ensure quality standards.
Some sources say that this device may be launched this year, and will be an important test for the new CEO's strategy.
Not stopping there, Apple is also said to be researching family robots. One of the notable ideas is a desktop device with a screen-mounted robot arm, which can rotate and interact like a smart assistant.
Other projects include mobile robots that support simple tasks or act as flexible video calling screens. Even some human-shaped robot experiments have been mentioned, although still in a very early stage.
However, Apple's hardware ambitions will not be easy. The company is facing a prolonged shortage of memory chips, as well as the impact of constantly changing tariff policies under Donald Trump.
In addition, the large dependence on production in China is also a significant risk. Previously, about 80% of iPhones were produced here, although Apple has begun to shift to India, which accounted for about 25% of production last year.
In that context, John Ternus' arrival to power is not only a change in senior personnel, but could also reshape Apple's future by moving towards a company that focuses more deeply on AI-integrated hardware, while finding ways to adapt to the volatile economic and technological environment.
