According to Bloomberg, Tim Cook and John Ternus conducted an all-hands meeting with employees today in the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park. This meeting follows the announcement made a day earlier that Ternus will assume the position of Apple CEO later this year.
During the gathering, Cook provided additional details about his decision to initiate the transition at this time — and outlined his future plans as Apple’s executive chairman.
To start, Cook, 65, dispelled rumors about potential health issues. Bloomberg had previously indicated that some Apple employees noticed Cook had an “unexplained tremor that causes his hands to shake from time to time.”
“I’m excited to continue my journey at Apple as executive chairman,” Cook remarked during today’s gathering. “I am healthy. My energy is high, and I intend to be in this new role [executive chairman] for a considerable period.”
When questioned about his choice to step down now, Cook expressed that he aimed to facilitate the “best-ever transition,” which required three conditions to be met:
1. Apple’s product roadmap needed to “be incredible.”
2. Apple’s financials needed to be “doing great.”
3. Ternus needed to be “ready for the role.”
Cook mentioned that he will be available to assist Ternus whenever necessary, including aiding with policy relations globally. “I’ll probably help on some other things,” he remarked.
“I’ll be here to support John in any way he needs and in any way I can,” Cook stated during the meeting. “I’ll be here to share my knowledge and experience and serve as a sounding board whenever I’m called upon. Apple will be my top priority. It’s who I am at my core, and I can’t imagine it any other way.”
As announced yesterday, John Ternus will officially take the reins as CEO on September 1, 2026.