BS EDIT: The product guys

By Business StandardPublished On Sep 1, 2026

Jobs vs Cook

Steve Jobs built Apple’s product legend. Tim Cook, once dismissed as “not a product guy”, turned supply-chain mastery and customer loyalty into powerful competitive advantages

The Cook Legacy

Under Cook, Apple’s services business has grown into a powerhouse. Apple Pay, Apple Music and others now generate more revenue than the entire company did when he took over

A Product Guy Takes Over

John Ternus, Apple’s hardware chief, is a product specialist. His challenge is to find the next breakthrough as rivals gain ground in emerging device categories

Searching For The Next Big Thing

Apple abandoned its electric-car project and its VR headset struggled to gain traction. Foldables, smartglasses and smart-home devices offer rivals opportunities to pull ahead

AI Or Supply Chain?

Ternus sees AI as his biggest challenge, but Apple’s deeper test may be supply-chain resilience

Tariffs, geopolitical tensions and economic nationalism threaten to disrupt its model

The Next Decade

Cook’s decision to remain executive chairman underlines the supply chain’s importance. India has emerged as a diversification hub, but future shocks will test Apple’s resilience