Tim Cook has been CEO of Apple since 2011. Recently, the claim that Cook would leave this position in 2026 was on the agenda. In the news published by the Financial Times and based on internal sources, it was stated that Apple management had accelerated preparations for the post-Cook period. It was even suggested that this transition could occur next spring.
However, Bloomberg’s reliable Apple correspondent Mark Gurman is cautious about these rumors. According to Gurman, there is no concrete sign that Tim Cook will leave his position anytime soon. Addressing the issue in his newsletter Power On, Gurman describes the Financial Times’ news as “probably completely wrong” and says “the time has not come yet.”
Tim Cook has the power to decide to quit his job voluntarily
Tim Cook, who took over Apple in 2011, managed to increase the value of the company from approximately 350 billion dollars to 4 trillion dollars. It is thought that Cook, who has gained the trust of both investors and the board of directors with this performance, will make the decision to resign at his own discretion. Gurman also draws attention to this situation, stating that Cook has already obtained this right and that his dismissal is out of the question under the current conditions.
Another noteworthy detail in the news is that there are signatures of four different journalists in this Financial Times report, which can be considered short and consists of only 330 words. While short news of this type usually do not have that many writers, this may reflect the importance given to the news or different aspects of the editorial process before publication. However, Gurman does not agree with the speculation that this news may have been deliberately leaked to the market by Apple.
Although Gurman states that there are several signs within the company about Tim Cook’s resignation, he states that these do not signal a change, at least in the short term. It seems that Cook’s future will continue to be one of the most important agenda items in the technology world in the coming period.
Claims that Senior Vice President of Hardware John Ternus, one of the names that have previously come to the fore regarding Apple’s future leadership, could be Tim Cook’s possible successor, have come to the fore again. Bloomberg sources state that Ternus will be the strongest candidate for the CEO position if Cook leaves office.