John Ternus Puts Products First in Early Days as Apple CEO

Apple CEO John Ternus introduced a new touchscreen MacBook Pro at a low-key Los Angeles event, where journalists and creators could try the laptop and see demos from professionals. In an interview afterward, Ternus emphasized that his focus is on products, continuity, and collaboration as he leads the company.

A low-key launch

Ternus, who is 51 and has been CEO for less than two months, stepped onto a low stage with no fanfare, said hello, and queued a video showing the first touchscreen Mac. He then released the crowd to get hands-on with the new laptop and move between demos by music producers, filmmakers, photographers, and fashion designers. The presentation's biggest reaction came when Ternus said the new device restores illumination to the Apple logo.

A product-focused leader

Ternus first met the reporter in 2015 at Apple's Input Design Lab in Cupertino, when he was vice president for Mac, iPad, Ecosystem, and Audio Engineering. He spent four years right out of college at a virtual reality company and has been at Apple ever since. Greg Joswiak, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, said Ternus "innately has a great sense for great products," adding that this cannot be taught.

In the decade when Ternus overlapped with Steve Jobs, he said he had only "a handful of interactions" with the founder, but he described himself as "a student of Steve's teachings." He also said he has been lucky to work closely with Tim Cook. When asked which non-Apple CEOs he admires, Ternus said he had not really thought about it, and when asked about business books, he said not really, adding that there is much to learn from the people he works with.

Continuity and collaboration

Ternus said he will be an engine of continuity, a word that helps explain why Cook and Apple's board were comfortable with the choice. His ascension was compared to that of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, another longtime employee promoted to the top job, but Nadella was called upon to fix a broken organization while Apple has been on a multi-decade run. Ternus also deflected questions about the mark he wants to make, instead stressing Apple's commitment to internal collaboration.

His key collaborator is Johny Srouji, the architect of Apple's custom silicon. Apple has merged its hardware engineering and technology organizations, with Srouji at the top reporting to Ternus. Srouji said Ternus is a product guy at heart, but Apple's secret weapon is its DNA and culture, which will not change, noting that Ternus has been at Apple for 25 years.

AI and policy

On AI, Ternus said he really likes where Apple is and that the company will leverage AI to build products people love, without shipping AI for AI's sake. He rejected the idea that AI will fully replace apps and products, saying the creation of products is a deeply human and personal thing. Asked about AI regulation, he focused on cybersecurity, product security, safety, and protecting user information.

Ternus also acknowledged that a $4 trillion company's CEO must be involved in policy and politics. As executive chair, Cook will still conduct some high-level policy duties, while Ternus said Cook is available to help wherever Ternus asks him, and that he is building new relationships in the role. Ternus has yet to meet President Donald Trump. He also said being CEO brings the privilege of learning new things, while he remains passionate about product.

Sources: Wired · Techmeme