Tim Cook

Tim Cook is the CEO of Apple Inc., a role he assumed in August 2011 following the resignation of co-founder Steve Jobs. As CEO, Cook has overseen the most financially successful period in Apple’s history.

The company has launched multiple hit products during Cook’s rein, most notably the Apple Watch and AirPods. He also pushed the company to increase its revenue from services like Apple Music and iCloud+.

Tim Cook joins Apple and transforms its supply chain

Cook joined Apple in 1998 as senior vice president of worldwide operations and quickly gained a reputation for his operational expertise. He became the company’s COO in 2005.

Cook carefully restructured Apple’s manufacturing and supply chain, reducing inventory, cutting costs and ensuring that Apple could meet growing demand for its products. These behind-the-scenes changes proved pivotal in transforming Apple from a struggling computer maker into a global technology leader.

After Jobs resigned as Apple CEO due to health problems, his right-hand man Cook took the company’s reins. Aside from overseeing the launch of fantastic new products, Cook also led the transition to Apple-designed processors for the Mac. Apple silicon gave Macs an extraordinary mix of power and efficiency. The shift away from Intel processors also afforded the company greater control over its hardware and software integration.

These innovations helped maintain Apple’s reputation for premium design and performance while expanding its vaunted ecosystem.

Shift to Apple services

Cook also steered Apple into becoming a major player in digital services. Platforms like Apple Music, Apple TV+, iCloud and Apple Arcade created recurring revenue streams while boosting customer loyalty.

This shift toward services reflects Cook’s broader vision for Apple as more than just a hardware company. Now, it’s also a provider of connected experiences across devices and content platforms.

Tim Cook and activism

Beyond technology, Cook often uses his platform as CEO of the most valuable publicly traded company in the world to speak out on issues like privacy, sustainability and social responsibility. Under his leadership, Apple increased its commitment to environmental initiatives, pledging to become carbon neutral across its entire business and supply chain.

Cook also emphasizes diversity and inclusion within the company. Over the years, he’s taken public stances on civil rights and data protection, aligning Apple’s brand with broader ethical values.

He also came out as gay in 2014. In a historic essay published in Businessweek, he wrote: “While I have never denied my sexuality, I haven’t publicly acknowledged it either, until now. So let me be clear: I’m proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me.”

Crafting Apple’s long-term strategy for success

While Cook’s style is more understated than Jobs’, his steady hand and focus on long-term strategy have cemented Apple’s place at the forefront of consumer technology companies. His tenure marks a shift from the iconoclasm of Apple’s early years to a more mature, disciplined and expansive global enterprise.

To learn more about Apple’s highly successful CEO, read Tim Cook: The Genius Who Took Apple to the Next Level, written by Cult of Mac publisher and Editor in Chief Leander Kahney.

Read Cult of Mac’s latest posts on Tim Cook:

Trump tariffs will cost Apple almost $1 billion this quarter

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AI image of an Apple logo in a post-apocalyptic landscape, with the words
Newly imposed tariffs could cost Apple $900 million dollars this quarter -- and that's just the start.
Illustration: Midjourney/Cult of Mac

Apple CEO Tim Cook said Thursday that he expects the tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump to add at least $900 million to the company’s costs during the current quarter, which ends in June.

Speaking with investors after the company announced its quarterly earnings results, Cook also said Apple will assemble most of the products it sells in the United States outside of China this quarter to avoid the tariffs fueling an ongoing trade war between the two countries.

Brush up on financial lingo for Apple’s quarterly earnings call

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Learn the financial lingo to get the most out of earnings call chatter.
Learn the financial lingo to get the most out of earnings call chatter.
Photo: Kevin Dooley/Flickr CC

When companies talk about quarterly earnings, executives often deploy language designed to puff up, excuse or obfuscate their companies’ recent performance. The goal is to excite investors over implied future success. And ultimately to give the company more money. Always. More. Money. The Apple quarterly earnings call takes place Thursday afternoon.

But when you’re the iPhone giant — with a mind-blowing market cap and a seemingly never-ending supply of hit products, including ongoing growth in services — you typically don’t need to craft hopeful-yet-non-material statements or deflect questions designed to get at the true bottom line.

So CEO Tim Cook and new CFO Kevan Parekh will report on all the numbers (former CFO Luca Maestri stepped down January 1, 2025). Because many tariff impacts are yet to come, analysts predict a 4% revenue increase year-over-year, plus a jump in earnings per share. Note that Apple starts its fiscal year with Q1 in the previous year’s holiday season, so calendar quarters trail its fiscal quarters.

Apple shifts robotics team to hardware as leadership shuffle continues

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Apple robotics team gets new leadership
This fanciful AI image may or may not approximate future Apple robotic products.
AI image: Grok

In another significant leadership reshuffle at Apple, a little-known robotics team will soon move from AI chief John Giannandrea’s oversight to John Ternus, Apple’s senior VP of Hardware Engineering, according to a new report Thursday.

This shift follows last month’s decision to remove Siri from Giannandrea’s responsibilities after concerns about execution on product development.

Today in Apple history: It’s time for Apple Watch 10th anniversary!

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original Apple Watch
The Apple Watch is the first major new product launch of the post-Steve Jobs era.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

April 24: Today in Apple history: Original Apple Watch launch date April 24, 2015: The original Apple Watch launch means consumers, who endured a seven-month wait after the device’s unveiling at a keynote the previous September, can finally strap an Apple wearable onto their wrists.

Apple CEO Tim Cook describes the smartwatch as the “next chapter in Apple history.”  Behind the scenes, however, the first Apple Watch launch is a moment long in the making.

Hey, Siri: Welcome your new Vision Pro overlords

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Siri management shakeup
The new head of Siri development has one job: make it stink less.
AI image: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

In a shake-up aimed at revitalizing Apple’s aging Siri voice assistant, the iPhone giant brought in Mike Rockwell to lead a comprehensive overhaul now in progress, according to a new report. First, the former head of Vision Pro software continues revitalizing the Siri leadership team in the Vision Pro team’s image.

Customers worried about price hikes pack Apple Stores to buy iPhones

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tariffs drive iPhone sales
iPhone shopping picked up over the weekend on fears of tariff-induced price increases.
Photo: Apple

Employees at Apple Stores across the country reported throngs of iPhone buyers over the weekend, according to a new report. Larger-than-average crowds look like a response to President Donald Trump’s tariffs on goods imported from China and other countries — and the specter of rising iPhone prices. In a happy surprise, the tariffs might actually drive iPhone sales before they potentially jack up prices.

Most iPhones come from China, which is up against a 54% tariff on exports to the United States. Most experts agree that rising costs will be passed on to consumers.

All part of the plan: Apple TV+ loses $1 billion a year

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Apple TV+ loses money
The losses sound bad, but they're to be expected and represent a drop in the bucket compared to Apple's profits.
Photo: Apple TV+

As Apple TV+’s subscriber base continues to grow and the streamer enjoys lots of attention on Friday’s Severance season 2 finale, a new report Thursday suggests the streaming service remains a financial loser for the iPhone giant — to the tune of $1 billion in losses annually. And yet it should come as no surprise Apple TV+ bleeds money.

A fat billion a year in the red sounds bad, but it’s pretty much in line with the plan for losses of up to $20 billion over a decade for the still-nascent streaming service.

Get ready to groove to DJ King Charles III on Apple Music [Updated]

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The King's Music Room playlist
"The King's Music Room" playlist premieres March 10.
Photo: Apple Music

In a literally royal musical celebration, Apple said King Charles III hosts a special radio show and playlist on Apple Music 1 titled “The King’s Music Room.” It commemorates Commonwealth Day, March 10. See King Charles’ playlist and watch his introductory video, below. This is the first time a reigning monarch has guest hosted on Apple Music, by the way.

“Throughout my life, music has meant a great deal to me. I know that is also the case for so many others,” King Charles said. “It has that remarkable ability to bring happy memories flooding back from the deepest recesses of our memory, to comfort us in times of sadness, and to take us to distant places.”

“But perhaps, above all, it can lift our spirits to such a degree, and all the more so when it brings us together in celebration,” he added. “In other words, it brings us joy.”

Update: Check out the King’s list of songs, added below.

Trump blasts Apple after Tim Cook doubles down on diversity [Updated]

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Tim Cook on Apple Intelligence
CEO Tim Cook says a diverse workforce is important to Apple’s success, despite President Donald Trump’s anti-DEI stance.
Photo: Apple

During Tuesday’s Apple shareholder meeting, CEO Tim Cook said the company won’t make changes to its diversity and inclusion programs. President Donald Trump wasn’t happy when he heard about it.

Cook said Apple’s strength is based on an employee pool with “diverse backgrounds and perspectives.” To nobody’s surprise, Trump doesn’t sound pleased with Cook’s comments.

Apple should get rid of DEI rules, not just make adjustments to them,” the president wrote Wednesday morning on Truth Social. “DEI was a hoax that has been very bad for our country. DEI is gone!!!”

Tim Cook teases new Apple product, but what is it?

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Animated chromatic Apple logo over a light gray background, with a circlular shape
What could it mean?
Animation: Apple

Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed Thursday that his company plans to launch a new product on February 19. He didn’t say what’s on the agenda, other than using a social media post to tease “the newest member of the family.”

There are actually several Apple products that rumors indicate could launch then, including AirTag 2, a new HomePod, the iPhone SE 4, and the MacBook Air with an M4 processor. If you’re curious when does the new MacBook Pro come out, reports suggest Apple may introduce it alongside other anticipated products.

Innie Tim Cook reports for work at Lumon Industries

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Innie Tim Cook reports for work at Lumon Industries
Apple CEO Tim Cook goes through the elevator transformation as a severed employee of Lumon Industries.
Photo: Apple TV+

In yet another promo for Apple TV+’s intriguing workplace thriller Severance, Apple CEO Tim Cook gets in on the action. Severance director and executive producer Ben Stiller dropped a video Friday morning on X.com starring the mild-mannered tech honcho. Cook reports for orientation as an innie on the severed floor of Lumon Industries.

The video is short, but Cook isn’t bad — especially in the elevator, where he shows his severed transformation in consciousness (with the help of some special effects). Then, near the end of the video, he made me laugh out loud.

Apple homepage honors memory of Jimmy Carter

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Apple honors Jimmy Carter
Apple's homepage paid tribute to former U.S. President Jimmy Carter following his death Sunday at 100.
Photo: Apple

Apple dedicated its homepage Monday to the memory of former President Jimmy Carter, who died Sunday at 100 years old. Carter lived longer than any other U.S. president and seemed to do more than most former heads of state after his term in office.

“Today, we honor President Carter’s lifetime of service and his commitment to leaving the world better than he found it. May he rest in peace,” Apple CEO Tim Cook wrote in a post on X. Both the X post and the Apple website showed the same image of Carter in work clothes with a tool belt on a construction site. The Plains, Georgia, native worked for many years building homes for the homeless through nonprofit group Habitat for Humanity.

Today in Apple history: Second-gen Apple TV hits 1 million sales

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apple tvPIC
On this day in 2010, the Apple TV hit a sales milestone.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

December 27: Today in Apple history: Second-gen Apple TV hits 1 million sales December 27, 2010: Almost four months after the second-gen Apple TV’s debut, Cupertino says it has sold 1 million of the streaming video devices.

The news shows that Apple’s set-top box is gaining momentum. However, Apple’s PR move — which included a preemptive press release issued on December 21 that said Apple “expects sales of its new Apple TV to top one million units later this week” — is also a low-blow shot at competitor Roku, which recently said it planned to hit the 1 million unit mark by the end of 2010.

Today in Apple history: iPhone comes to the world’s biggest carrier

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Photo of Apple CEO Tim Cook talking with Chinese children to illustrate an Apple history article about the deal that brought the iPhone to China Mobile, the world's largest carrier.
China is a massive market for Apple.
Photo: Weibo/Tim Cook

"DecemberDecember 22, 2013: After months of false starts, Apple finally secures a deal with China Mobile to bring the iPhone to the world’s largest telecom company.

With 760 million potential iPhone customers in the offing, the deal shapes up as Apple’s most important yet for growing its brand in China. In fact, Apple CEO Tim Cook says the country soon will become the company’s biggest market.

Tim Cook and King Charles III visit Apple UK HQ [Photos]

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Tim Cook and King Charles Battersea photos
Tim Cook welcomed King Charles III to Battersea Power Station, Apple’s U.K. headquarters in London.
Photo: Apple

Apple CEO Tim Cook welcomed King Charles III of Great Britain to Apple’s U.K. headquarters Thursday in the iconic Battersea Power Station, Apple said. And it showed off a raft of photographs from the occasion, below.

“We were honored to welcome His Majesty King Charles to Apple Battersea — our home in the U.K. — and we’re proud to support The King’s Trust in its vital work educating and empowering young people,” said Cook. “We look forward to our continued growth here, building on more than 40 years of history in the United Kingdom.”

Today in Apple history: Apple fixes ‘life-threatening’ Maps glitch

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Australia Park
This probably isn't the spot people wanted to reach!
Photo: Papphase/Wikipedia CC

December 10: Today in Apple history: Apple fixes Australian Apple Maps glitch December 10, 2012: Apple fixes an Apple Maps error that caused several motorists in Victoria, Australia, to become stranded in the remote Murray-Sunset National Park.

The early Apple Maps glitch showed the town of Mildura nearly 45 miles from its actual location. In the aftermath, Victoria police describe Apple’s navigation app as “potentially life-threatening.” That’s pretty much the opposite of “it just works.”

Today in Apple history: Apple Store celebrates its millionth online customer

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The Apple Store proves that tech fans like buying things online!
Turns out that tech fans like buying things online!
Photo: Ste Smith/Maxime Raphael/Flickr CC

December 5: Today in Apple history: Apple Store celebrates millionth online sale December 5, 2002: Cupertino says it served its millionth unique customer in the Apple Store online, marking a significant milestone for the company. It is a benchmark worth celebrating for Apple, which launched its online store just five years earlier.

Reaching our 1 millionth customer is a major milestone, and is proof positive that our online shopping experience is second to none,” Tim Cook, Apple’s executive vice president of worldwide sales and operations at the time, says in a statement. “The Apple Store is a popular way for a growing number of consumers and businesses to buy Apple products, and with extensive build-to-order capabilities, easy 1-Click shopping and free shipping on orders, it’s never been easier to buy a Mac online.”

Tim Cook opens up about Apple’s AI strategy and Vision Pro’s future

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Tim Cook on Apple Intelligence
Tim Cook spoke recently at Apple Park during the "It's Glowtime" event.
Photo: Apple

Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed details about the company’s approach to artificial intelligence and defended its Vision Pro headset in an extensive interview Wednesday. In a now-familiar refrain, he discussed the company’s strategic entry into generative AI while addressing criticisms about Apple’s seemingly delayed response to the AI boom.

“We never talked about charging for it,” Cook said of Apple Intelligence. “We view it sort of like multitouch, which enabled the smartphone revolution and the modern tablet.”

Today in Apple history: iPad Pro makes its big debut

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iPad Pro
The iPad Pro was a big step forward for the iPad.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

November 11: Today in Apple history: iPad Pro debutsNovember 11, 2015: Apple’s first iPad Pro goes on sale after months of speculation about the giant-size tablet. With its much larger screen, professional-oriented targeting and dreaded (optional) stylus, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro represents Apple CEO Tim Cook’s cleanest break yet from Steve Jobs’ vision for iOS devices.

And it turned out all the better for it!

Today in Apple history: Scott Forstall gets forced out of Apple

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Forstall
The disastrous Apple Maps showed Scott Forstall the way out of Cupertino.
Photo: Apple

October 29: Today in Apple history: Scott Forstall gets forced out of Apple after disastrous Apple Maps launch October 29, 2012: Scott Forstall, Apple’s senior vice president of iOS software, is fired from the company after the disastrous Apple Maps launch. After Forstall is ousted, Apple divvies up the roles he previously handled among other high-level execs.

Jony Ive assumes leadership of the Human Interface team. Craig Federighi becomes head of iOS software. Eddy Cue takes control of Maps and Siri. And Bob Mansfield “unretires” to lead a new technology group.

Tim Cook reapplies ‘not first, but best’ mantra to Apple Intelligence

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Tim Cook on Apple Intelligence
Tim Cook spoke recently at Apple Park during the "It's Glowtime" event.
Photo: Apple

You can encapsulate Apple’s approach to innovation in four words, according to a new profile of CEO Tim Cook: “Not first, but best.” It’s not a new sentiment, but Cook doubles down on it in a long magazine article that came out over the weekend, complete with interesting tidbits about his life and his journey with Apple, past and present.

And in a colorful side note: The man apparently loves Diet Mountain Dew. And yet Apple Park doesn’t stock it, so he doesn’t get to drink it as much as he used to. (Theory: Cook banned it himself in an act of self-discipline.)

Today in Apple history: Tim Cook becomes Apple’s chief operating officer

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Tim Cook
Tim Cook was on his way to the top spot at Apple.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

October 14: Today in Apple history October 14, 2005: Tim Cook takes the reins as Apple’s chief operating officer, continuing an upward climb through the company’s ranks that will make him CEO less than six years later.

“Tim and I have worked together for over seven years now, and I am looking forward to working even more closely with him to help Apple reach some exciting goals during the coming years,” Steve Jobs says in a statement.

Today in Apple history: Steve Jobs dies at 56

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Steve Jobs, creator of the iPad and created on the iPad.
Steve Jobs leaves an enduring legacy at Apple.
Portrait: Jeremy Martin

October 5: Today in Apple history: Steve Jobs dies at 56 October 5, 2011: Apple co-founder Steve Jobs dies at the age of 56 in his home in Palo Alto, California.

Jobs’ official cause of death is respiratory arrest arising from complications related to a rare type of pancreatic cancer. He was diagnosed with cancer eight years earlier, and officially stepped down from his role as Apple CEO in August 2011, just weeks before his death.

Tim Cook reveals fave iPhone 16 AI feature and top hot dog condiment to Jimmy Fallon

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Tim Cook and Jimmy Fallon in Central Park
Tim Cook suspects real New Yorkers don't really wear NYC baseball caps covered in glitter, as Fallon implied.
Photo: The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon

On Monday’s Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, the host hits the Apple Store on 5th Avenue in New York City to pick up his new iPhone 16 — and ends up taking a very long walk in Central Park with Apple CEO Tim Cook. And is a walk-and-talk filmed on iPhone 16 of Tim Cook and Jimmy Fallon in Central Park funny? Well, here and there it is.

Along their mildy amusing way, the two chatted about the new handsets, upcoming Apple Intelligence features and favorite hot dog condiments.

Today in Apple history: iPhone 6 is bigger and better than ever

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iPhone
The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus were massive upgrades for Apple.
Photo: Jim Merithew

September 19: Today in Apple history: iPhone 6 is bigger and better than ever September 19, 2014: The iPhone undergoes its biggest upgrade — both figuratively and literally — since the original, with the launch of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus handsets. The iPhone 6 design brings a new 4.7-inch form factor, while the iPhone 6 Plus expands to a massive 5.5 inches.

The previous-generation iPhone 5 measured only slightly taller than its 3.5-inch predecessors. But with the iPhone 6, Apple abandons the small smartphone form factor to take on big-screen Android “phablets.”