John Ternus has elevated product design to a primary focus since taking over as Apple's chief executive officer last month, according to reporting by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The transition marks a structural change in executive oversight, bringing a CEO with an engineering background into regular, direct participation with the company's hardware design teams.
Direct Involvement in Design Studios
Ternus is taking a hands-on role inside Apple's industrial design and human interface studios, visiting multiple times per week and occasionally making several visits in a single day, according to Gurman's Power On newsletter. Prior to becoming chief executive, Ternus managed Apple's hardware engineering division, a role that required consistent coordination with the design group. His frequent presence in the design space contrasts with former CEO Tim Cook, who reportedly visited the studio for roughly an hour per month at most.
Delegation of Financial and Supply Chain Operations
Unlike Cook, who built his executive career around supply chain operations, Ternus enters the CEO position from an engineering background. To maintain focus on product engineering and design, Ternus is delegating primary operational and financial oversight to key leadership figures. Corporate finances remain under Chief Financial Officer Kevan Parekh, while supply chain responsibilities are led by Chief Operations Officer Sabih Khan.
Reported Product Pipeline Updates
Gurman's report also outlines several hardware developments expected in Apple's near-term product schedule. Apple reportedly plans to present new smart home products on Tuesday, October 13, highlighted by a long-rumored smart home hub featuring an iMac G4-style design with a square 6-inch display, a front FaceTime camera, and a base housing speakers and microphones. Updated models of the HomePod mini and Apple TV are also scheduled, retaining their existing enclosures while adding faster chips intended to support Siri AI features. In addition, Apple is testing touch-screen 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with OLED displays on macOS 27.1, which is targeted for release in late October.
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Source: Apple's New CEO John Ternus is Making Product Design a 'Major Priority'
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