The outgoing Apple CEO took over 15 years ago following Steve Jobs' departure from the storied tech company.
Outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook says "goodbye" on social media on his last day as chief of the company.
Outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook says "goodbye" on social media on his last day as chief of the company. Credit: Josh Edelson / AFP via Getty Images
The Tim Cook era of Apple has come to an end.
Today, August 31, 2026, is Tim Cook's final day as CEO of Apple, and the outgoing Apple chief had some emotional parting words to share on social media.
"Sending lots of love to the Apple community on my last day as CEO," Cook posted on the social media platform X. "My title changes tomorrow, but the love I have for the Apple community never will. Thank you for being a constant source of inspiration. My gratitude is endless, and I’m excited for the next chapter!"
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Tim Cook held the position at Apple for 15 years, taking over as CEO after Steve Jobs departed in August 2011, shortly before his passing the following October. Starting Sept. 1, Cook's new position within the company will be as executive chairman of Apple's board of directors.
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Cook will be succeeded by incoming Apple CEO John Ternus , the company's current Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering. At 50 years old, Ternus is the same age Cook was when he took over as Apple CEO.
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Under Cook, Apple saw the launch of some of its most popular product categories, such as AirPods and the Apple Watch. Cook also led the company as it completely relaunched its computer product lines, ranging from MacBooks to desktop Macs, with Apple's own Silicon chipset.
Apple became a trillion-dollar company under Tim Cook's leadership as well.
Cook also had to navigate the company through difficult global geopolitical issues, which led to some interesting moments, such as when President Donald Trump referred to the Apple CEO as "Tim Apple." Cook responded at the time by changing his profile name on then-Twitter to "Tim ."
Ternus's first big Apple event at the helm will take place on Sept. 9 , when the company is expected to launch its new line of iPhones, including its first-ever foldable device .
