Tim Cook to step down as Apple CEO soon? Here's what he said

Tim Cook addresses rumors of his departure as Apple CEO, hinting at his eventual retirement but remaining committed for now.  Speculation about potential successors like John Ternus and Jeff Williams intensifies. Discover the future of Apple's leadership.

“It's a privilege of a lifetime to be here. And I'll do it until the voice in my head says, ‘It's time’, says Tim Cook when he was asked how long he sees himself as the CEO of Apple.

“It's hard to imagine life without Apple, because my life has been wrapped up in this company since 1998. It's the overwhelming majority of my adult life. And so I love it,” he said in an interview with Wired. Cook stated that he will only begin organizing his next chapter when he believes it is time to retire, but as of right now, that moment has not arrived.

The question and rumors that Tim Cook's term is coming to an end have surfaced repeatedly this year. "As I get older and my hair turns gray, I get asked that question more than I used to," says 64-year-old Cook.

Indeed, there have been a number of conjectures regarding his potential successor as CEO. In recent months, a lot of names have emerged. The most recent was a story from Bloomberg that said John Ternus would be the leading candidate to become the future CEO of Apple.

As senior vice president of hardware engineering at Apple, Ternus answers directly to Tim Cook, the company's CEO. With more than 23 years at the company, he has been instrumental in developing some of Apple’s most renowned products, such as the iPhone, iPad, and AirPods. His leadership has played a key role in overseeing the Mac’s transition to Apple Silicon, highlighting his significant contributions to Apple’s innovation.

Besides Ternus, Jeff Williams, the company’s chief operating officer (COO) has long been considered a frontrunner. 

Senior vice president of software engineering Craig Federighi, senior vice president of hardware engineering Dan Riccio, senior vice president of retail Deirdre O'Brien, and Phil Schiller, currently an Apple Fellow, are among the other names allegedly under consideration. These applicants are thought to have a lower chance of earning the top position, nevertheless.