Tim Cook: Stories about Apple's CEO on MacRumors
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Tim Cook

By MacRumors Staff
Tim Cook is the CEO of Apple, having taken over the company in 2011 after Apple co-founder Steve Jobs fell ill with cancer. Prior to taking on the role of CEO, Cook, who joined Apple in 1998, served as Apple's SVP of Operations and Chief Operating Officer. As Chief Operating Officer, Tim Cook managed worldwide operations, maintained reseller relationships, and kept a close eye on the company's supply chain, helping lead Apple to profitability. Cook was a close friend and confidant of Steve Jobs, and he has kept Jobs' legacy alive by continuing to spur the company towards greater growth. Under Cook's reign, Apple has taken a strong stance on social issues, environmental protection, supply chain responsibility, and privacy rights. Cook has overseen the development and launch of major products like the iPhone X, the Apple TV 4K, the iPad Pro, the Retina MacBook, and AirPods. Apple is branching out under his leadership, exploring new avenues of innovation in areas like automobiles and augmented reality.

Tim Cook Articles

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The MacRumors Show: Tim Cook to Step Down as Apple CEO

Friday April 24, 2026 9:06 am PDT by
On this week's special episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Apple's bombshell announcement that Tim Cook will step down as CEO on September 1, 2026, with hardware engineering chief John Ternus set to succeed him. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Cook will transition to executive chairman, where he will "assist with certain aspects of the company, including...
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Tim Cook Calls Apple Maps Launch His 'First Really Big Mistake' as CEO

Thursday April 23, 2026 5:29 am PDT by
Outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook has named the botched 2012 launch of Apple Maps as his "first really big mistake" in the role, according to a Bloomberg report covering the town hall meeting that was held Tuesday with his recently announced successor, John Ternus. The Maps app launched with mislabeled landmarks, faulty directions, and a user experience that fell well short of Google Maps at the...
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MacRumors Readers React to Tim Cook Stepping Down as CEO

Tuesday April 21, 2026 2:17 pm PDT by
Apple yesterday announced that longtime Apple CEO Tim Cook is planning to step down from his role later this year, with current hardware engineering chief John Ternus set to take over as CEO. We've seen media reports suggesting Ternus will bring Jobs-like decisiveness back to Apple, as well as reactions from top world leaders, but we thought we'd also highlight what MacRumors readers think of the ...
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Apple Teases 'Incredible Road Map Ahead'

Tuesday April 21, 2026 12:10 pm PDT by
In an all-hands meeting with employees today, Apple's future CEO John Ternus teased an "incredible road map ahead." "I'm not exaggerating when I say this is the most exciting time to be building products and services at Apple in my entire career," said Ternus. While the meeting was private, Ternus' comments were reported by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Appearing alongside Apple's current CEO...
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Tim Cook Says He's 'Healthy,' Plans to Remain at Apple 'for a Long Time'

Tuesday April 21, 2026 11:04 am PDT by
Tim Cook today told employees he plans to be at Apple "for a long time" in his new role as executive chairman. Cook shared the information in an all-hands meeting detailed by Bloomberg. "I am healthy. My energy is high, and I plan to be in this role for a long time," said Cook. He said he will support current hardware engineering chief John Ternus in any way necessary when Ternus takes over...
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Top Leaders React to Apple Announcing Tim Cook Will Step Down as CEO

Tuesday April 21, 2026 6:42 am PDT by
Apple on Monday announced that Tim Cook will be stepping down as CEO, and some top leaders around the world have publicly commented on the news. Effective September 1, Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus will become the company's next CEO, while Cook will become executive chairman of Apple's board of directors. In his new role, Apple said Cook will assist with "certain aspects" of ...
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Apple's Tim Cook Shares Community Letter After Announcing Plans to Step Down as CEO

Monday April 20, 2026 1:55 pm PDT by
Current Apple CEO Tim Cook is set to leave his role on September 1, 2026, and as he prepares to step down as CEO, he has written a letter addressed to the Apple community. Cook said that he starts his day reading notes from Apple users all over the world, which fills him with an indescribable gratitude. According to Cook, Ternus is the perfect person to take over as Apple's CEO. To the...
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Apple CEO Tim Cook Stepping Down, John Ternus Taking Over

Monday April 20, 2026 1:33 pm PDT by
Apple CEO Tim Cook is stepping down as Apple's chief executive officer, and hardware engineering chief John Ternus is set to take over, Apple announced today. Cook will continue on as Apple CEO through the summer, with Ternus set to join Apple's Board of Directors and take over as CEO on September 1, 2026. Cook is going to transition to executive chairman, and he will "assist with certain...
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Apple Highlights Photos Shot on iPhone During NASA's Mission to Moon

Saturday April 11, 2026 8:17 am PDT by
As we previously reported, astronauts aboard NASA's Orion spacecraft used the iPhone 17 Pro Max to take selfies of themselves with the Earth in the background during the Artemis II mission around the far side of the Moon last week. Now that the crew members have safely returned to Earth, Apple's CEO Tim Cook and marketing chief Greg Joswiak have both turned to social media to congratulate...
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Tim Cook Says iPhone Launch Was His Favorite Apple Moment in 50th Anniversary Interview

Wednesday April 1, 2026 3:21 pm PDT by
For its 50th anniversary celebration, Apple invited The Wall Street Journal's Ben Cohen to Apple Park to meet up with Apple CEO Tim Cook. Cohen and Cook took a look at rare archival materials from the early days of Apple, some of which Cook wasn't even familiar with. Cook said that he had seen a lot of the devices for the first time while preparing for Apple's 50th anniversary. Items on...
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Apple CEO Tim Cook Explains His Relationship With Trump

Wednesday April 1, 2026 9:20 am PDT by
Apple's CEO Tim Cook has maintained a working relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump, and he touched on that in a recent interview. Cook sat down with Esquire's Ryan D'Agostino to discuss Apple's 50th anniversary, but he was also asked about how he navigates the Trump administration. Cook responded by saying that "the Trump administration is very accessible." "So you can talk...
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Apple CEO Candidate John Ternus is 'Well-Liked' and Helped Reverse 'Declining Product Quality'

Sunday March 22, 2026 3:38 pm PDT by
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...
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Apple Announces New Mac Sales Record Following MacBook Neo Launch

Friday March 20, 2026 6:14 am PDT by
Apple's CEO Tim Cook today said the Mac just had its "best launch week ever for first-time Mac customers," which suggests that the new MacBook Neo has been a hit with customers buying their first laptops or switching from Windows. Apple released the MacBook Neo last Wednesday, March 11. In the U.S., pricing starts at just $599 for the general public and an even lower $499 for college...
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Apple CEO Tim Cook: 'I'm Not a Political Person'

Thursday March 19, 2026 6:26 am PDT by
In an interview with Good Morning America's Michael Strahan this week, Apple's CEO Tim Cook said he is "not a political person." Strahan said Cook has been criticized over his relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump. He noted that Cook attended Trump's second inauguration last year, gifted Trump a piece of glass with a 24-karat gold base, and went to a private screening of a Melania...
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Tim Cook on iPhone's Future: 'There's So Much Left That We Can Do'

Wednesday March 18, 2026 7:34 pm PDT by
In an interview with Nikias Molina at New York's Grand Central Terminal last week, Apple's CEO Tim Cook briefly commented on the future of the iPhone. "There's so much left that we can do with the iPhone," said Cook. "I think it's going to continue to be the center of people's digital lives." While this is just typical corporate speak, it is still interesting that Cook thinks the iPhone...
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Tim Cook Visits China, Attends Apple's 50th Anniversary Event and More

Wednesday March 18, 2026 6:20 am PDT by
Apple CEO Tim Cook is in China, where he attended one of the company's 50th anniversary events outside of its Taikoo Li retail store in Chengdu today. The event revolved around a performance by Chinese singer Li Yuchun, and it comes after Apple hosted a surprise Alicia Keys concert at its Grand Central store in New York last week. According to the China Daily, Cook is scheduled to attend the ...
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Apple CEO Tim Cook Responds to Retirement Rumors

Tuesday March 17, 2026 11:03 am PDT by
In an interview with Good Morning America's Michael Strahan this week, Apple's CEO Tim Cook responded to rumors about his potential retirement. Cook said the idea that he wants to step back at Apple is merely "a rumor." Cook did not explicitly confirm or deny that he will be stepping down as CEO any time soon, but he said "I can't imagine life without Apple." The full interview clip is ...
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Apple Helping to Expand Music Education to More Students and Schools

Tuesday March 17, 2026 6:59 am PDT by
Apple is expanding its partnership with the Save The Music Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting music education in U.S. public schools. The organization donates musical instruments and technology to schools and much more. "We're thrilled to be expanding our partnership with Save the Music, bringing music education to even more schools across the country," said Apple...
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Apple CEO Tim Cook Shares '50 Years of Thinking Different' Letter

Thursday March 12, 2026 6:04 am PDT by
Apple CEO Tim Cook today shared a "50 Years of Thinking Different" letter, ahead of the company's 50th anniversary on April 1, 2026. The letter touches on the upcoming 50th anniversary and says that "the world is moved forward by people who think different." For those unaware, "Think Different" was a famous advertising slogan used by Apple in the late 1990s to early 2000s. "At Apple,...
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Apple CEO Tim Cook Takes a Pit Stop in New Video to Promote F1

Tuesday March 10, 2026 6:28 am PDT by
Apple CEO Tim Cook today shared a short promotional video on social media highlighting Apple's new role as the U.S. home of Formula One. The clip takes place around Apple Park and shows Cook driving a small campus buggy along the ring road before pulling up beside Dutch racing driver Max Verstappen. The scene plays out like a Formula 1 pit stop, with the buggy stopping at a makeshift pit...