Apple's new CEO John Ternus teases 'huge launch next week' in opening memo to staff
Apple’s new CEO John Ternus has teased a "huge launch next week" as he takes over from Tim Cook just days before the company’s biggest product event of the year.
John Ternus has officially taken the reins at Apple, succeeding Tim Cook after 15 years as chief executive and immediately teasing what could be one of the company's biggest product launches in years.
In his first memo to Apple staff as CEO, Ternus said the company had a "huge launch next week", describing the event as "phenomenal".
According to Bloomberg, Ternus wrote in the memo on Tuesday (01.09.26): "We have a huge launch next week that's going to be phenomenal.
"I'm just as excited about what lies beyond that, including the incredible products already in the works and the ones we haven't even imagined yet that we'll dream up and create together."
Apple is due to hold its annual iPhone event on September 9, where it is expected to unveil its latest smartphones.
Among the biggest rumours is the possibility of Apple's first foldable iPhone, although the company has not confirmed what it plans to announce.
The event could also provide a fresh opportunity for Apple to showcase its artificial intelligence ambitions.
The company is expected to expand the rollout of an upgraded Siri, potentially putting its voice assistant in greater competition with AI chatbots such as ChatGPT and Claude.
Ternus, who previously served as Apple's senior vice-president of Hardware Engineering, takes over at a crucial moment for the tech behemoth as it looks to refresh its product range and catch up with rivals in AI.
Apple is also rumoured to be developing a range of new products, including camera-equipped AirPods, smart glasses and a touchscreen MacBook.
Cook, meanwhile, used his final memo as CEO to praise his successor and reflect on his time running the company.
He wrote: "I take enormous comfort in handing the helm to someone as brilliant and wonderful and capable as John.
"Few people understand what it takes to build products that change the world the way John does and I could not be more excited for his leadership."
In an emotional farewell, Cook said he would "miss this work" after 15 years at the top of Apple.
Describing leading the firm as "the privilege of a lifetime", he wrote: "I love this company and the team behind it."
