In an in-depth article for Bloomberg Businessweek today, Mark Gurman profiled Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus, who is widely viewed as the leading candidate to become Apple's next CEO whenever Tim Cook decides to step down.
The article is very long, so we recommend reading it in full, but a few of the key takeaways are that Ternus is apparently "well-liked among Apple's leadership" and helped with "reversing a trend of declining product quality" at the company.
"Since getting the top hardware engineering role in 2021, he's overseen an expansion in Apple's product lineup, improving quality and focusing on functional improvements around battery life, performance and connectivity," wrote Gurman.
However, the article said Ternus has "been criticized for not doing as much as previous hardware chiefs to implement breakthrough technologies."
That might change in the foreseeable future, as the article said Ternus is leading work on several new AI-powered devices, including smart glasses, AirPods with cameras, and a wearable pendant. He has also championed development of a "nearly 20-inch-wide foldable iPad" that could be a laptop-tablet hybrid, according to Gurman.
In addition, the profile revealed that Ternus is overseeing development of "the biggest set of iPhone revamps" in the product's history.
Cook reportedly gave oversight of Apple's design teams to Ternus at the end of last year, and Ternus has been making a lot more public appearances in interviews and in product introduction videos over the past few years. The profile provides a closer look at how Ternus has risen to become the frontrunner to succeed Cook eventually.
Ternus is a product person, whereas Cook is known for his excellent supply chain management.
Cook has not shared his retirement plans with even some of his closest lieutenants, according to the report, so it is unclear when he plans to step down. Cook has served as Apple's CEO since 2011, and he reached the common retirement age of 65 last year. In a recent interview, he vaguely said "I can't imagine life without Apple."
The full Bloomberg Businessweek article: "Apple's 'Nice Guy' Heir Apparent"
