--- title: "Why is there a heated discussion in Silicon Valley about the successor to Apple's CEO?" type: "News" locale: "zh-CN" url: "https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/268815283.md" description: "The competition for the successor to Apple CEO is a hot topic in Silicon Valley. Tim Cook has served as CEO for nearly 15 years, and Apple may face significant management changes. John Ternus is seen as the most likely successor, but he is not yet ready. Other candidates include Craig Federighi, Sabih Khan, and Greg Joswiak. Former executive Tony Fadell has expressed a desire to take over, but the likelihood is low" datetime: "2025-12-06T01:50:40.000Z" locales: - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/268815283.md) - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/268815283.md) - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/268815283.md) --- > 支持的语言: [English](https://longbridge.com/en/news/268815283.md) | [繁體中文](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/268815283.md) # Why is there a heated discussion in Silicon Valley about the successor to Apple's CEO? Tim Cook has served as Apple's CEO for nearly 15 years, during which he achieved something nearly impossible: after succeeding the legendary founder Steve Jobs, Cook transformed Apple into one of the top three companies in the world by market value. Even so, why are many around him starting to discuss who will succeed him as CEO? According to sources who have communicated with Apple executives, **senior employees at Apple firmly believe that the company is likely to undergo significant management changes, and they have openly expressed this view even when faced with headhunters.** In recent months, media reports have indicated that Apple or its board has been preparing for the "post-Cook era" in various ways, although the specific timing of this change has not yet been clarified. **As a result, speculation about who will become Apple's new CEO has become Silicon Valley's hottest "guessing game."** Current Apple hardware engineering head John Ternus and other company executives are seen as the most likely candidates. Prediction website Polymarket shows that Ternus has a nearly 55% chance of being elected, surpassing other Apple executives such as software head Craig Federighi, Chief Operating Officer Sabih Khan, and marketing head Greg Joswiak. However, those familiar with Apple indicate that some close to the company believe Ternus is not yet ready to take on such a high-profile position, suggesting that an announcement of a successor may not happen in the short term. Some former Apple executives are hoping for a "dark horse" candidate. For example, according to those who have heard his remarks, former Apple hardware executive Tony Fadell, who co-invented the iPod, recently expressed to colleagues his willingness to succeed Cook as CEO. (However, others close to Apple believe Fadell's chances of being elected are extremely low, partly because he was a controversial figure during his time at Apple—Fadell left Apple in 2010.) This has become one of the most bizarre succession dramas in the tech industry. Generally speaking, such heated discussions around a CEO occur when a company's performance is poor or when the CEO hints at stepping down. But Cook's situation is not like that. Apple shareholder Shaon Baqui, a technology research analyst at Janus Henderson Investors, stated, "Tim Cook is a legendary figure. Whoever succeeds him will face enormous challenges. He is one of the most outstanding managers of our generation." Regardless of when the leadership transition at Apple occurs, its outcome will determine whether this tech industry's most successful revival story can continue to shine in a new era. In the late 1990s, Apple was on the brink of bankruptcy, and Jobs returned to take the helm; after Jobs' death in 2011, outsiders predicted that without a visionary like Jobs (Cook's background is in supply chain management), Apple's fate would decline, but Cook refuted that prediction At the same time, like other large technology companies, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) could become a turning point for Apple. Since OpenAI's ChatGPT disrupted the tech industry three years ago, internal power struggles and technological challenges have hindered Apple's progress in the AI field. Although Tim Cook has skillfully maintained stable growth for the iPhone and other businesses during this process, even supporters like Bakke believe that Apple's innovation department needs a new injection of vitality. He stated, "In the field of AI, it is clear that Tim Cook's speed of action and sense of urgency are lacking, especially compared to Meta's Zuckerberg or Google's CEO Pichai." In July of this year, Jeff Williams, then Apple's Chief Operating Officer, retired, intensifying speculation about Apple's succession plans. Williams was a close confidant of Cook, and the two shared similar backgrounds, making him a potential successor. Since then, there has been unusual personnel turnover in Apple's management. Just this week, Apple announced the departure of four executives, including AI head John Giannandrea, one of the design leads Alan Dye, General Counsel Kate Adams, and Vice President Lisa Jackson, who was responsible for environmental, policy, and social initiatives. Another factor fueling the discussion about Apple's succession is the immense pressure of the CEO position itself. The 65-year-old Cook maintains a high-intensity work pace that would exhaust most people. Over the past year, due to Trump’s policies potentially disrupting Apple's production, he has visited the White House multiple times; in September, Cook spoke about Apple's nominations on the red carpet at the Emmy Awards in Los Angeles. Nevertheless, those who know Cook say that there have been subtle changes in his schedule. According to sources familiar with his schedule, Cook no longer routinely wakes up at 4 a.m. to work out as he used to. Over the past year or so, those who have interacted with him have noticed a slight tremor in his hands, although this may not signal a serious health issue—this tremor was clearly visible in a recent video of Cook presenting a 24K gold plaque to Trump in the Oval Office. Another notable change is that Cook, who has been known for his frugality over the years (renting rather than buying in Silicon Valley), has recently purchased a luxury home in Palm Springs, California, with neighbors including Apple colleague and friend Eddy Cue. Sources familiar with his schedule say he regularly visits there in the winter. **Potential Successors** Cook has publicly stated that he hopes Apple's next CEO will come from within the company. Apple's track record of hiring external executives for core positions has not been ideal: it has previously hired John Browett and Angela Ahrendts to lead retail operations, but both left after short tenures. In contrast, the most successful CEO transitions at major tech companies like Microsoft, Google, and Netflix have all been led by internal candidates Rick Devine, a senior headhunter commissioned by Steve Jobs to recruit Tim Cook to Apple in 1998, stated, "Great companies never hire CEOs from outside." In Apple's leadership team, 50-year-old Turner is the youngest senior vice president. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1997 with a major in mechanical engineering. His first job after graduation was at the virtual reality company Virtual Research Systems in the early 1990s, where he developed VR headsets. In 2001, Turner joined Apple's product design team, responsible for turning designers' concepts into usable products. He stood out for his reliability and strong execution, incorporating Apple's "extreme attention to detail" into his work. The first project he participated in at Apple was an external monitor called Cinema Display. At the 2024 graduation ceremony at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Engineering, he recalled that during the product's production, he stayed at the supplier's factory after midnight, using a magnifying glass to check the number of grooves on the top of a screw on the back of the monitor—Apple-designed screws should have 25 grooves, but he counted 35 on the supplier's product and negotiated with them about it. "The care you put into your work—it's really crucial," he said at the ceremony. Turner's position at Apple continued to rise, and in 2013 he was promoted to vice president, responsible for the Mac, iPad, and AirPods businesses. Those who have worked with him said that as a leader, he is completely different from the "flashy" style left over from the Jobs era (including Federighi and App Store head Phil Schiller, both known for their harsh demands on underperforming subordinates). In contrast, Turner's colleagues describe him as calm and emotionally intelligent, adept at conveying information to employees using facts and logic. He successfully led the transition of the Mac to Apple's self-developed chips, helping the company capture more PC market share. A person involved in the transition project noted that Turner's ability to quickly grasp chip design knowledge was impressive. When problems arise, Turner takes responsibility, earning the respect of his colleagues. In 2015, Apple launched a thinner and lighter "butterfly" keyboard for the Mac, but the design was prone to failure. In an internal meeting with Apple executives, Turner took the initiative to acknowledge the engineering mistakes that led to the issues. Turner's steady and cautious leadership style has earned him Cook's trust. In 2021, Cook appointed him to succeed Dan Riccio as head of hardware engineering, while Riccio was tasked with advancing the final development of Vision Pro in preparation for its release in 2024 However, some skeptics believe that Turner is too conservative and risk-averse, which has led to dissatisfaction within his team. Employees in Apple's hardware engineering department were disappointed to find that Turner, as the new head, did not provide funding support for more ambitious projects. Several core leaders and engineers have begun to leave, including Vice President Tang Tan—who is currently responsible for an AI hardware device project at OpenAI, designed by Apple's former Chief Designer Jony Ive. According to previous reports, Tan and Ive subsequently poached a number of senior hardware engineers from Turner's team to participate in the development of this unreleased OpenAI device. While supporters believe that Turner has the temperament to serve as CEO, many say he is not a charismatic leader like Steve Jobs. Additionally, Cook now spends most of his time dealing with geopolitical and government affairs, while Turner has almost no experience in this area—recently, Apple's new COO Sabih Khan accompanied Cook to some meetings. Some former Apple executives have stated that Apple has not taken clear steps to establish Turner as a successor—such as not giving him more management responsibilities over departments and products to accumulate broader experience. However, earlier this year, Apple allowed Turner to play a significant role in the new iPhone launch event. **Other Possible Candidates** Federighi is relatively young and well-known at Apple, making him another potential candidate to succeed Cook. At 56, he is more publicly recognized than Turner due to his impressive appearances at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference over the years. His iconic fluffy hairstyle has earned him the nickname "Hair Force One" from colleagues. However, those who have worked with Federighi have indicated that, given hardware remains the core driver of Apple's success, and his focus is on software, he may not be suitable for the top position. These individuals also revealed that Federighi is more interested in solving technical problems and has no interest in playing the "politician" role or dealing with the policy challenges that Cook must face. Federighi has often expressed skepticism about Apple's vague projects, having opposed the company's funding for the Vision Pro development and autonomous vehicle projects in meetings. This has drawn some criticism, suggesting he lacks the risk-taking spirit needed for a future Apple CEO. Insiders say that Federighi was once skeptical about machine learning, believing the technology was overhyped and too unpredictable. However, he eventually changed his mind and is now responsible for most of Apple's AI business. Apple may also choose its next CEO from its alumni network. Some former Apple executives support Fadell to succeed Cook, believing that Apple needs a product leader with an entrepreneurial background and a bold style to break the status quo Fadell co-founded the smart home startup Nest and sold it to Google for $3.2 billion in 2014. However, Apple previously missed the opportunity to bring Fadell back. According to people familiar with the matter, Apple had preliminary discussions about acquiring Nest in 2014, but the negotiations did not progress, partly because some Apple executives were reluctant to allow Fadell to return to the company. Cook may also continue to stay at Apple in a new role—such as serving as executive chairman while guiding the new CEO. This arrangement has proven successful for Jeff Bezos: in 2021, Bezos appointed Andy Jassy to succeed him as Amazon's CEO and then took on the role of executive chairman. Apple's current chairman, Arthur D. Levinson, former CEO of Genentech, is now 75 years old. Apple's board stipulates that members cannot run for re-election after turning 75, but this rule has been waived for another current board member, Ron Sugar ### 相关股票 - [Apple (AAPL.US)](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/quote/AAPL.US.md) - [GraniteShares 2x Long AAPL Daily ETF (AAPB.US)](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/quote/AAPB.US.md) - [Direxion Daily AAPL Bear 1x Shares (AAPD.US)](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/quote/AAPD.US.md) - [Direxion Daily AAPL Bull 2X Shares (AAPU.US)](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/quote/AAPU.US.md) - [T-Rex 2X Long Apple Daily Target ETF (AAPX.US)](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/quote/AAPX.US.md) - [Kurv Yield Premium Strategy Apple Aapl ETF (AAPY.US)](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/quote/AAPY.US.md) - [YieldMax AAPL Option Income Strategy ETF (APLY.US)](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/quote/APLY.US.md) ## 相关资讯与研究 - [Apple Intelligence briefly appears in Chinese mainland before withdrawal](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/281116116.md) - [iPhone Maker Apple Celebrates Its 50th Anniversary](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/281373049.md) - [Baker Tilly Wealth Management LLC Has $7.69 Million Stock Holdings in Apple Inc. $AAPL](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/280900022.md) - [A new RCS update could connect iPhone and Android video calls, someday](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/281061647.md) - [Apple Stock (AAPL) Gets a Rare 'Sell' Rating from 5-Star Barclays Analyst, Says 'iPhone Unit Trends Remain Soft' & 'Valuation Remains at the High End'](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/281186505.md)