When Apple holds its annual iPhone event on September 9, it’ll be the first time in more than a decade that Tim Cook won’t introduce the company’s latest products.
Instead, John Ternus will debut as Apple’s new chief executive during the company’s most important event of the year.
Expectations are high. Ternus takes over as Apple faces pressure to evolve its products for the AI era. In July, the iPhone maker became the second company in history to reach a $5 trillion market capitalization, raising the bar for what analysts and investors expect from product advancements and financial performance.
Ternus’ background in hardware engineering led many to believe his tenure is likely to usher in a new age of innovation for Apple. Many will be watching for signals of Ternus’ vision this week, especially as the company is expected to follow rivals into a new product category with a foldable iPhone.
Ternus will need to quickly cement his direction for Apple beyond the fanfare of this week’s event. The company faces a string of pressing challenges, including regulatory obstacles in Europe and a memory shortage.
