Tim Cook is not expected to step down as Apple CEO before mid-2026, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
Writing in his Power On newsletter on Sunday, Gurman said he would be “shocked” if Cook left the role before the middle of 2026.
The comments appear to counter earlier reporting from the Financial Times, which suggested Apple had been preparing for Cook to step aside as early as the start of this year.
Gurman said Cook is expected to remain in place for WWDC26, Apple’s annual developer conference in June.
Cook has previously acknowledged that he does not expect to remain Apple’s CEO for another decade. In a 2021 interview, he said he would “probably” step down within 10 years, noting that leadership changes are inevitable.
There has also been speculation that Cook could move into the role of chairman of Apple’s board once he leaves the chief executive position.
Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering, John Ternus, is widely viewed as the leading candidate to succeed him.
Earlier this week, Gurman reported that Cook handed oversight of Apple’s design teams to Ternus at the end of last year, calling the move “crystal clear” evidence of a succession plan.
Cook joined Apple in 1998 after being recruited by Steve Jobs to run worldwide operations. He later served as interim chief executive during Jobs’s medical leave in 2009 before formally taking on the role in August 2011.