Tim Cook leads Apple with a level head and a keen eye for operations.
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.
Tim Cook and Steve Jobs
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.
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.
Tim Cook and Trump
Apple CEO Tim Cook talks Mac Pro and American jobs with President Donald Trump.
Tim Cook has maintained a close relationship with the president during both Trump administrations.
Tim Cook attempted to continue this close relationship during Trump’s second presidency as well. He personally donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund. This seemingly did not work, as Trump did not exclude Apple products from Chinese tariffs.
Personal details
Tim Cook net worth
As of June 2025, Tim Cook’s net worth as estimated by Forbes is $2.4 billion. A majority of his wealth was accumulated with Apple stock; he now owns over 3 million shares in the company.
According to the Wall Street Journal, his base salary for the last three years has been $3 million. Combined with his stock awards and other compensation, his earnings totaled over $74.6 million in 2024.
Cook isn’t a big spender. He lives in a relatively modest Palo Alto condo. He has also been reported to drive a BMW 5 series car — a nice but understated vehicle.
Tim Cook 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.”
The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus were massive upgrades for Apple. Photo: Jim Merithew
September 19, 2014: The iPhone undergoes its biggest upgrade — both figuratively and literally — since the original, with the release date 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.”
August 24, 2011: With his health worsening, a cancer-stricken Steve Jobs resigns from his role leading Apple. Tim Cook assumes the role of Apple’s seventh CEO.
“I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know,” Jobs writes in his retirement letter to the Apple board. “Unfortunately that day has come.”
The new investment brings Apple's spending on US manufacturing to $600 billion. Photo: Grok
President Donald Trump invited Apple CEO Tim Cook to the White House on Wednesday to announce Apple’s new investment of an additional $100 billion in domestic manufacturing. It’s part of a new program designed to bring more of Apple’s supply chain to American shores.
“Today, we’re proud to increase our investments across the United States to $600 billion over four years and launch our new American Manufacturing Program,” said Cook in a press release. “This includes new and expanded work with 10 companies across America. They produce components that are used in Apple products sold all over the world, and we’re grateful to the President for his support.”
Tim Cook commits to winning the AI game during an all-hands meeting on the Apple campus. AI image: Midjourney/Cult of Mac
In an unusual all-hands meeting Friday, Apple CEO Tim Cook assured employees that Apple won’t drop the ball when it comes to artificial intelligence. Calling AI “as big or bigger” than the internet, Cook said the company will rise to the occasion.
“Apple must do this,” he said. “Apple will do this. This is sort of ours to grab. We will make the investment to do it.”
In addition to hyping the company’s AI efforts, Cook expressed excitement about all the “amazing” new Apple products in the pipeline. And Apple software chief Craig Federighi told his colleagues not to worry about the long-delayed smarter Siri — a key component of Apple’s AI-infused future.
The most likely person to take over as Apple CEO when Tim Cook steps down is a dark horse candidate. Photo: Apple/Grok
With the surprise retirement of Apple COO Jeff Williams on Tuesday, all bets are off concerning the next CEO of Apple.
Williams, a 27-year Apple veteran, was widely regarded as the likely next CEO of Apple when Tim Cook eventually steps down.
But with Williams out of the running, Apple senior vice presidents John Ternus or Craig Federighi are now seen as the most probable candidates for the top spot.
But I think it could be someone else entirely — and it’s a pick I haven’t seen anyone else make.
Here’s who I think might be the next CEO of Apple, and why.
Apple COO Jeff Williams announced his retirement on Tuesday. Photo: Apple
Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer in charge of the company’s global operations since 2010, will retire later this year. Even before then, though, his position will be filled by Sabih Khan, who currently serves as senior vice president of operations.
Steve Jobs underwent a liver transplant earlier in the year. Photo: Ben Stanfield/Flickr CC
June 22, 2009: Steve Jobs returns to work at Apple, a couple months after undergoing a liver transplant as part of his treatment for pancreatic cancer.
Although Jobs has been steadily getting back into work for the past several weeks, the news is made official when a quote from him appears on a June 22 press release about iPhone 3GS sales. An Apple employee also alerts the media after spotting Jobs on campus.
With his return confirmed, everyone wants to know how long Jobs will continue to lead Apple.
US devs saw $406 billion in App Store sales and billings in 2024. Photo: Apple
Apple’s App Store ecosystem reached a milestone in 2024, facilitating $406 billion in developer billings and sales in the United States alone, according to a new study Apple commissioned. And over the past 5 years, App Store sales growth means U.S. developers’ earnings more than doubled, the iPhone giant said.
“For more than 15 years, the App Store has created incredible opportunity for app developers, entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a press release Thursday. “That includes the many U.S. developers who are innovating, building their businesses and finding exceptional success on the App Store.
“We’ll continue to invest in powerful tools, technology, and resources to help developers in the U.S. and around the world take their apps to new heights and create transformative experiences for users,” he added.
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.
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.
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.
The Apple Watch is the first major new product launch of the post-Steve Jobs era. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
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.
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.
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.
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.
"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.
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!!!”
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 curiouswhen does the new MacBook Pro come out, reports suggest Apple may introduce it alongside other anticipated products.
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'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.
On this day in 2010, the Apple TV hit a sales milestone. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
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.
China is a massive market for Apple. Photo: Weibo/Tim Cook
December 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 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.”
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.”
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.”
September 19, 2014: The iPhone undergoes its biggest upgrade — both figuratively and literally — since the original, with the release date 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.
August 24, 2011: With his health worsening, a cancer-stricken 
June 22, 2009: Steve Jobs returns to work at Apple, a couple months after undergoing a liver transplant as part of his treatment for pancreatic cancer.
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.
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.
December 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.
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.
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.