Apple · Reviewed by Marques Brownlee · Published 2026-04-29
Based on a review by Marques Brownlee (accessed 2026-04-29).
Based on this review alone: buy it if you care about new ceo john ternus is a 'product guy' deeply involved in hardware details. — just accept apple's deeply ingrained aversion to failure may still hinder true innovation and risk-taking..
The reviewer is optimistic about Apple's future product direction under new CEO John Ternus, believing it will lead to more innovative and 'thoughtful hardware products.' He hopes Apple will take 'really big swings' again, though he acknowledges their software still needs significant improvement.
This video analyzes the recent executive leadership changes at Apple, specifically Tim Cook stepping down as CEO and John Ternus taking his place. The reviewer discusses the potential implications of this transition for Apple's future product strategy and hardware innovation, contrasting the two leaders' focuses.
Apple's recent leadership turnover, particularly the appointment of John Ternus as CEO, signals a promising pivot towards more product-centric hardware innovation, which could invigorate the company's offerings. Ternus, a former VP of Hardware Engineering, brings a deep product focus, a stark contrast to Tim Cook's business and supply chain expertise. This shift, following a wave of executive retirements, suggests a deliberate, coordinated effort to re-prioritize hardware development. If you've been longing for Apple to take bigger risks and deliver more exciting, thoughtful hardware products, this new era of leadership is cause for optimism. However, if you are looking for an immediate overhaul of Apple's conservative product development culture or significant software improvements, those expectations might need more time to materialize.
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Tim Cook is officially stepping down as CEO of Apple this year, to be replaced by John Ternus. John Ternus will start in September as the new CEO of Apple Inc.
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John Ternus was previously the Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, indicating his deep involvement in product development.
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Tim Cook, through his supply chain optimization and business expertise, led Apple to become a multi-trillion dollar company, reaching two, three, and even four trillion dollars.
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The reviewer states that Tim Cook is not a 'product guy,' and it's clear he's not in the 'nitty gritty' of products when he talks about Apple.
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In a past interview, the reviewer tried to talk about products in detail with Tim Cook, who seemed unfamiliar with the Magic Mouse, indicating he hadn't thought about the product in a long time.
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John Ternus, coming from VP of Hardware Engineering, is identified as a 'product guy' who is clearly involved in the 'nitty gritty' of products all the time.
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The Apple silicon powered MacBook Pros are thicker, have more battery, and more ports, marking an improvement over the previous Jony Ive-designed MacBook Pros that had keyboard issues and overheating.
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The $599 Mac mini is described as one of the best deals in all of tech, highlighting its value.
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The MacBook Neo, priced at $600, is considered disruptive and put the entire Windows laptop industry on notice.
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John Ternus hosted the introduction segment for the MacBook Neo event, symbolizing his leadership in the product's development, even before his CEO announcement.
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The reviewer expects an iPhone Fold this year, which John Ternus seems to have been spearheading the development of, indicating his involvement in future innovative products.
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Apple's tendency to avoid the possibility of failure too hard prevents them from trying many new things, leading to fewer dedicated new products like a camera or a smart home speaker with a display.
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Under Tim Cook, Apple played it 'ridiculously safe,' leading to formulaic new products that often felt like 'parts-bin variations' of existing Apple products, resulting in a stale feeling.
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Apple needs to significantly improve its software game, as there's 'a lot of work to be done' to close the gap with aspects like macOS Tahoe, Liquid Glass, Apple Intelligence, and Siri.
Tim Cook is transitioning to Chairman of the Board after 15 years as CEO, with John Ternus taking over the CEO role starting in September. This is part of a larger executive turnover, with younger leaders taking the reins.
While Tim Cook successfully grew Apple to a multi-trillion dollar company through business and supply chain optimization, he was identified as not being a 'product guy.' This resulted in Apple playing it safe, avoiding risks, and producing products that often felt like 'parts-bin variations' of existing ones, focusing more on services.
John Ternus, having previously spearheaded successful hardware like the Apple Silicon MacBook Pros and the MacBook Neo, is anticipated to shift Apple's focus back to ambitious and interesting hardware products. The reviewer hopes for 'big swings' in new categories, such as a potential iPhone Fold, moving away from previous cautious approaches.
The reviewer explicitly states that Apple's software game, including macOS Tahoe, Liquid Glass, Apple Intelligence, and Siri, has a lot of work to be done to close the gap. This suggests that current software quality is a significant area requiring improvement.
55/100 source quality
Marques Brownlee provides his take on the significant executive turnover at Apple, focusing on Tim Cook's departure as CEO and John Ternus's ascent. He highlights Tim Cook's success in scaling Apple financially but points out his lack of deep product involvement, contrasting this with John Ternus's strong hardware engineering background. MKBHD suggests this shift, coupled with other high-level retirements, could steer Apple back towards risk-taking and innovative hardware development. However, he also notes that Apple's software quality currently lags and needs considerable improvement to match potential hardware advancements.
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This page converts Marques Brownlee's review of the Apple Apple Leadership Turnover into structured evidence — timestamped claims, pros & cons, and buyer questions. It is not the original review and does not replace watching or reading the full source.