The biggest challenge for the successor will be protecting and maintaining the innovative "DNA" that shaped this technology giant over the past half century.
Apple is gradually shifting responsibility to the new leadership. In recent years, some veteran leaders of the company have retired or withdrew from executive positions. This transition process is seen as a preparation step for the post-Tim Cook period, when he is now 65 years old.
Mr. John Ternus, head of Apple's hardware engineering department, is currently in charge of the company's entire device development operations and deeply involved in product design decisions. This is why experts believe he is one of the strongest candidates for the position of CEO in the future.
CEO Tim Cook believes that the core values that have shaped Apple for half a century are very difficult to recreate. The assessment was made by him in a new interview, just a few weeks before the company entered its 50th anniversary.
According to Tim Cook, Apple is currently like "a single case" in the technology world. He believes that the company's corporate culture, thinking style and product development philosophy have been formed over decades, starting from the time of founders like Steve Jobs. These factors create Apple's own "DNA" and it is difficult for any organization to completely copy.
Apple leaders said he often thinks about the future of the company, especially the next leadership team. "I spend a lot of time thinking about who will be in that room after 5 years, 10 years, or even 15 years," he said. According to Cook, preparing for the next generation of leaders is an important part of corporate governance.
Tim Cook did not specifically mention the time to leave the CEO position, but admitted that senior leaders retiring is "natural". He emphasized that Apple needs to prepare a succession plan to ensure long-term stability.
Apple was founded in 1976 and will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2026. For half a century, the company has created many iconic products such as Macintosh computers, iPods, iPhones and iPads, contributing to shaping the modern consumer technology industry.
According to Tim Cook, it is the culture of innovation and the combination of design, technology and user experience that has helped Apple maintain its special position in the market. He believes that although other companies can learn from Apple's business model or technology, recreating the entire "DNA" that has been formed in 50 years of development is almost impossible.
