Tim Cook's last day at Apple: How he took the company beyond the iPhone

Tim Cook is stepping down as Apple CEO after nearly 15 years, leaving John Ternus to lead the company into its next chapter

 For nearly 15 years, Tim Cook has led Apple through one of the biggest transformations in its history. On August 31, 2026, Cook will serve his final day as Apple CEO before handing over the role to John Ternus, marking the end of an era that began with one of the toughest successions in the technology industry.

 

Cook took charge on August 24, 2011, after Steve Jobs stepped down because of ill health. Jobs passed away later that year, leaving Cook to lead Apple without the company's legendary co-founder at the helm. What followed was not a repeat of the Jobs era, but a different chapter that focused on scale, operations, services, and long-term growth.

 

 

Apple’s longest-serving CEO

 

Cook was already a key figure at Apple before becoming CEO. He joined the company in 1998 as senior vice president for worldwide operations and helped overhaul its supply chain and manufacturing operations.

 

His operational expertise became particularly important as Apple expanded globally. Under Cook, the company grew from a business valued at roughly $350 billion in 2011 into a technology giant that reached a $5 trillion market capitalisation in July 2026. Revenue also climbed from about $108 billion in 2011 to nearly $400 billion.  

How Cook changed Apple

 

Cook's biggest impact was not limited to a single product. Instead, he broadened Apple's business and strengthened the ecosystem around its devices.

 

Services became a major growth engine

Apple moved beyond depending primarily on customers buying new iPhones, Macs and iPads. Services such as Apple Music, iCloud, Apple Pay, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, AppleCare and the App Store became an increasingly important part of the business.

The Services segment generated $109.1 billion in revenue in the latest fiscal year, giving Apple a recurring source of income even when customers kept their existing devices for longer.

 

Apple built its own chips

One of Cook's most important technology decisions came in 2020, when Apple announced it would move its Mac computers away from Intel processors and towards its own Apple Silicon.

The transition, completed across the Mac range by 2023, brought improvements in performance, battery life, and power efficiency. It also gave Apple greater control over the technology inside its products and provided a foundation for its approach to on-device artificial intelligence.

 

Wearables became big businesses

Cook also expanded Apple into new product categories. The Apple Watch and AirPods developed into major businesses, while the company entered mixed reality with the Vision Pro.

However, not every bet delivered the same results. Vision Pro has struggled to gain widespread adoption since its 2024 launch, making it one of the weaker parts of Cook's product legacy.

 

Privacy became part of Apple's identity

Under Cook, privacy and security became central to Apple's public image. The company increasingly positioned itself as a privacy-focused alternative to major technology rivals, while also emphasising security and on-device processing.

 

What’s next for Tim Cook?

 

Cook is not leaving Apple completely. From September 1, he will become executive chairman of Apple's board and will continue to assist with areas including global policymaker engagement.

 

John Ternus, Apple's senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, will become CEO. He takes charge as Apple faces a crucial challenge in artificial intelligence, particularly as the company works to improve Apple Intelligence and its delayed Siri upgrade.