- John Ternus became Apple CEO on September 1, 2026. Tim Cook moved to executive chairman.
- Eight days later, he launched the iPhone Duo — Apple's first foldable, from $1,999.
- Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports Apple is starting the largest run of device launches in its history, spanning 2026 to the end of the decade.
- Coming next: touchscreen OLED MacBooks, a smart home hub, camera AirPods, smart glasses and a 20th-anniversary iPhone.
For most of the last 15 years, Apple played it safe. It refined the iPhone, the Mac and the iPad year after year, and grew its services business for steady recurring money. Truly new product categories were rare. Under Tim Cook, only three arrived: the Apple Watch, AirPods and the Vision Pro headset.
That chapter is closing. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple has spent roughly five years quietly building a huge hardware pipeline — and it chose to let its new CEO, John Ternus, be the one to reveal it. Most of these devices were designed while Cook was in charge, but they came largely out of Ternus's hardware engineering team.
Who Is John Ternus?
Ternus is an engineer, not an operations or finance executive — and that is the whole story. He studied mechanical engineering at the University of Pennsylvania, worked on virtual reality headsets at a company called Virtual Research Systems, and joined Apple's product design team in 2001, where his first project was an external display.
He became vice president of hardware engineering in 2013, overseeing the iPad, Mac and AirPods. In 2020 he added the iPhone, and in 2021 he joined Apple's executive team as senior vice president of hardware engineering. He also played a big role in moving the Mac to Apple's own chips.
People who worked with both men describe a clear difference in style. Reports in April said Cook tended to ask questions rather than pick between options on product decisions, while Ternus is expected to make the call himself — right or wrong. That points to a CEO who will steer the product line far more directly.
"I am so excited about everything we have in store."
— John Ternus, in a note to Apple employees days before his first keynote (via Bloomberg)Already Here: What Ternus Launched on September 9
Ternus had only eight days in the job before taking the stage at the "Surprise and Shine" event at Apple Park. He used it to deliver the biggest change to the iPhone in nearly two decades.
Apple's first foldable phone opens like a book into a single continuous screen. Inside Apple, it was long nicknamed the "iPhone Ultra" before launching under the Duo name.
Apple also calls it the thinnest iPhone ever when unfolded, and it comes in Star White and Night Sky. It is the most expensive iPhone ever made — and Apple now offers leasing to soften the blow.
Ternus also made his big pitch on AI clear: the iPhone, he argued, is the best personal device for artificial intelligence because of its strong privacy protections. Analyst Michael Gartenberg told Fortune the show "was a good event for Apple and a good start for the new CEO."
📝 Editor's note: Pre-launch reports described the foldable as the "iPhone Ultra" with a roughly 7.8-inch inner screen and 5.5-inch outer screen. The product Apple actually shipped is called the iPhone Duo, with 7.6-inch and 5.4-inch screens as reported at launch. This article uses the launch figures.
Coming Next: Late 2026 to Early 2027
The foldable was only the opening act. Gurman's reporting lists a heavy slate still due in the coming months. Two of them are genuinely new directions for Apple.
2027: The Year Apple Goes on Your Face
If 2026 is about the foldable, 2027 is about AI you wear. Apple is lining up devices whose cameras act as "eyes" for Siri — a direct challenge to Meta's smart glasses.
Also on the 2027 list: a second-generation foldable iPhone (already deep in testing), an iPhone Air 2 with a second camera, an OLED iPad Air, a faster MacBook Neo, M7-powered MacBook Pros, and a redesigned Apple Watch in 2027 or 2028. Apple is also splitting iPhone launches: the regular iPhone 18 will move to spring 2027 alongside the budget "e" model.
2028 and Beyond: Robots, Pendants and True AR
⚠️ On shaky ground: Ternus is reportedly skeptical of the Vision Pro's design, so its future is uncertain — though a lighter model is still pencilled in for late 2028 or early 2029. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported in June that Ternus signed off on a major overhaul of Apple's headset and glasses plans. Meanwhile, a foldable iPad with a roughly 20-inch screen has been shelved over price and manufacturing problems, though it could return later.
Cook vs. Ternus at a Glance
Timeline: How We Got Here
The Bottom Line
Cook turned Apple into a money machine; Ternus now has to build its next growth story. The foldable proves Apple can still surprise people. The harder test is AI: glasses, pendants and camera AirPods only matter if Siri becomes smart enough to use what they see. Keep in mind that everything beyond the September launch comes from reporting, not Apple — and Apple's plans can shift, slip or be scrapped.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the new CEO of Apple?
John Ternus, Apple's former senior vice president of hardware engineering, became CEO on September 1, 2026. Tim Cook became executive chairman.
How much does the foldable iPhone Duo cost?
It starts at $1,999 in the US, and the top configuration reaches $3,199. Apple also offers a leasing option.
When are Apple's smart glasses coming?
Reports point to 2027 for a first model without a display. Full augmented-reality glasses are not expected before the end of the decade.
Will Apple make a touchscreen MacBook?
Yes, according to Bloomberg. A redesigned MacBook Pro with a touchscreen, OLED display and Dynamic Island is reported to be coming in 14- and 16-inch sizes.
Is the Vision Pro being discontinued?
Nothing is confirmed. Its future is reportedly uncertain because Ternus is skeptical of the design, but a lighter version is still on the roadmap for late 2028 or early 2029.
Which Apple device are you waiting for? Share this story 👇
Sources: Bloomberg (Mark Gurman), Asharq Business, CNN, Fortune, ABC News, CNBC, Fox Business, Business Today, MacObserver (Ming-Chi Kuo), Apple. Products beyond the September 9 launch are based on reports and may change.
