Apple CEO Ternus takes hands-on design role, visits studio weekly
In short
Apple chief executive John Ternus has taken direct charge of the company's design work, visiting the industrial design and human interface design studios several times a week, according to reports from cnBeta and IT Home citing Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple has had no single design chief since Jony Ive left in 2019, and no search for one is under way; Molly Anderson and Steve Lemay now lead the two teams, with final design decisions resting with Ternus. Separately, 36Kr reported Apple plans a dense run of October launches, including a redesigned MacBook Pro, a smart home hub, a HomePod mini and an Apple TV with Siri AI.
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Apple chief executive John Ternus has taken a direct role in the company's design work, visiting its design studio several times a week and on some days more than once, people familiar with the department said, according to accounts published by cnBeta and IT Home that cite Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Both outlets said Ternus is deeply involved with the industrial design team, which handles how hardware looks and feels, and with the human interface design team, which shapes the company's software. [ 1 , 2 ]
IT Home reported the involvement began before Ternus formally became chief executive about a month before 5 October 2026. When chief operating officer Jeff Williams retired, Apple said the two design teams would report to then-CEO Tim Cook, but Ternus took them on in practice during his transition, the outlet said. cnBeta reported Ternus was Cook's only direct report in charge of design during the April-to-September transition, and that Ternus told employees a remark from Cook — that he needed to be himself — “really resonated with me and stayed with me”, describing it as a turning point. [ 1 , 2 ]
The arrangement contrasts with the Cook era. Designers said Cook typically visited the studio about once a month for roughly an hour, cnBeta reported, whereas Ternus works alongside the teams in person. IT Home described the frequency as a clear difference from the former chief executive. [ 1 , 2 ]
Apple has not had a single executive responsible for both industrial design and human interface design since Jony Ive left in 2019, both outlets reported. cnBeta said the teams have lost staff to Ive's company LoveFrom, to OpenAI's hardware team and to Meta, where long-time software design head Alan Dye went. Ive's industrial design successor, Evans Hankey, also left and later joined OpenAI, cnBeta reported, and was replaced by Molly Anderson. [ 1 , 2 ]
No search is under way for a chief design officer, both outlets reported. Anderson now heads industrial design and Steve Lemay, who succeeded Dye, heads human interface design, while the final say on design rests with Ternus himself, IT Home reported. cnBeta said Apple is still rebuilding its industrial design team, hiring Belgian furniture designer Julien Renault the previous week, and that whether skipping an outside hire is the right choice “remains to be seen”. IT Home said the involvement shows design remains a core pillar at the top of Apple. [ 1 , 2 ]
Separately, 36Kr's summary said Apple plans a dense run of product launches in October, including a redesigned MacBook Pro with a touchscreen and a shift to OLED technology, a new smart home hub, a HomePod mini and an Apple TV with Siri AI, citing Sina Finance. The 36Kr headline framed the launch slate as offsetting a slowdown in the company's services business. [ 3 ]
Why it matters
The documents describe a shift in how Apple's most visible product decisions are made: after years without a single design leader, the new CEO has kept the final say himself instead of appointing a chief design officer, and both outlets say it is too early to judge whether that is the right choice. The reported October product pipeline would be the first major hardware cycle under Ternus and is followed closely by suppliers, developers and buyers well beyond China.
Key facts
- John Ternus formally became Apple's chief executive about a month before 5 October 2026, according to IT Home. [ 2 ]
- People familiar with the department said Ternus visits Apple's design studio several times a week, and on some days more than once a day. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Designers said former chief executive Tim Cook visited the design studio roughly once a month. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Apple has had no single executive in charge of both industrial design and human interface design since Jony Ive left in 2019. [ 1 , 2 ]
- No search is under way for a chief design officer; Molly Anderson heads industrial design and Steve Lemay heads human interface design, with final design decisions held by Ternus. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Long-time software design head Alan Dye left for Meta, and other Apple designers joined OpenAI, cnBeta reported. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Apple hired Belgian furniture designer Julien Renault the previous week as it rebuilds its industrial design team, cnBeta reported. [ 1 ]
- 36Kr reported Apple plans October launches including a redesigned MacBook Pro with a touchscreen and a shift to OLED, a new smart home hub, a HomePod mini and an Apple TV with Siri AI. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Ternus is deeply involved in both of Apple's design teams and visits the studio multiple times a week. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Apple has lacked a unified design leader since Jony Ive's departure in 2019. [ 1 , 2 ]
- No search is under way for a chief design officer. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Molly Anderson and Steve Lemay lead the industrial design and human interface design teams respectively, with Ternus holding final design decisions. [ 1 , 2 ]
Still unclear
- Whether skipping an outside hire for a chief design officer is the right choice. cnBeta says the question “remains to be seen”; no document reports a decision on a future search.
- The precise date Ternus formally took over as chief executive. IT Home says about a month before 5 October; cnBeta describes an April-to-September transition without giving a specific date.
- The October product launch plan, including the redesigned MacBook Pro, smart home hub, HomePod mini and Apple TV with Siri AI. Carried only in 36Kr's short summary, which attributes it to Sina Finance; no other document mentions the products.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- cnBeta publishes a detailed account of Ternus's design role, the transition from Tim Cook and design-team departures. [ 1 ]
- IT Home reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman as saying Ternus visits the design studio several times a week. [ 2 ]
- 36Kr's summary notes Ternus made design a priority in his first weeks and lists planned October product launches. [ 3 ]