Apple under Ternus: what comes next for the tech giant's hardware strategy

· ai · Source ↗

TLDR

  • Apple named hardware executive John Ternus as its next CEO, succeeding Tim Cook later this year.

Key Facts

  • Ternus joined Apple in 2001 and led hardware engineering on AirPods, Apple Watch, and Vision Pro.
  • Rumored upcoming products include smart glasses, AI-enabled AirPods, a wearable pendant, and a foldable iPhone expected in September.
  • Apple has explored home robotics, including a tabletop device with a robotic arm and concepts for mobile robots.
  • About 80% of iPhones were made in China before tariffs; Apple shifted roughly 25% of production to India last year.

Why It Matters

  • A hardware CEO signals Apple may prioritize device innovation over services expansion at a critical AI inflection point.
  • Ongoing tariff uncertainty and chip shortages could complicate the hardware-forward strategy Ternus is expected to pursue.

Lauren Forristal, TechCrunch · 2026-04-25 · Read the original