Apples next era: After Tim Cooks dream run, new CEO has to help the company catch up

This is read by an automated voice.Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.

Tim Cook had a lot to prove when Apple co-founder Steve Jobs handed over the reins as chief executive nearly 15 years ago.Jobs was known as a creative visionary, a fiery innovator who launched the iPhone and other iconic products.While some naysayers doubted Cook could carry the brand forward, he has proven them wrong, leading the company on an unprecedented growth spurt.

Now Cook’s successor, John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering, is set to take over the chief executive role on Sept.1.

Analysts say he also has big shoes to fill as the company embarks on a new era.The transition to a leader whom many say is similar to Cook marks both continuity and change for the tech titan.While Apple needs to continue to reliably and profitably build products that people around the world will buy, it must also innovate and embrace transition to maintain its leadership position in consumer tech in a world increasingly powered by artificial intelligence.

The company has long been defined by distinct eras of leadership, including Jobs’ product-driven revolution and Cook’s operational discipline and services focus.Ternus is inheriting a massive business, finely-tuned to delight die-hard fans.

He will have to decide whether the next stage of growth will be more of the same or a return to bolder bets, analysts say.“He must resist the temptation of incrementalism that has plagued Apple of late,” said Dipanjan Chatterjee, vice president and principal analyst at Forrester.“As Ternus assumes the helm, he must define Apple’s future as ferociously as he defends its past.” Under Cook’s leadership, Apple’s market capitalization grew from roughly $350 billion to $4 trillion.

Its revenue ballooned from $108 billion in 2011 to more than $416 billion in 2025.Apple expanded its business and offered new services, becoming intertwined with fitness, payments an...