Tim Cook Thanks Apple Community on Final Day as CEO

Tim Cook thanked users in a farewell message marking his final day as Apple CEO, saying his title would change the next day but his connection with the community would remain.

Cook said in an earlier community letter that he would become executive chairman and John Ternus would take over as CEO. He described Ternus as ideally suited to the position.

Ternus has spent 25 years building Apple products, according to the letter. Cook praised Ternus as an engineer and thinker, saying he cared deeply about Apple and would lead with integrity.

For the past 15 years, Cook wrote, he has begun almost every morning by reading messages sent by Apple users around the world. The notes included praise, personal stories and complaints when products did not work as users expected.

Cook said one message credited an Apple Watch with helping save a user’s mother. Other emails described a mountaintop selfie and how Mac changed users’ work. He wrote that the messages reflected a shared sense of humanity.

Cook wrote that the messages strengthened his obligation to work harder and left him with gratitude he could not fully express. He described leading Apple as an honor and a privilege.

The letter makes no mention of artificial intelligence. Cook instead focused on users, gratitude, responsibility and the leadership transition.

Cook emphasized that the transition was not a farewell and thanked users for their confidence, kindness, feedback and belief in his leadership. In his final-day message, Cook said he was excited for the next chapter.